Re-envisioning Public Education in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

As one of the youngest education systems in the Gulf region, the UAE's public education sector has undergone rapid transformation in just over five decades. Understanding the historical foundations and current reform trajectories of this system is critical for policymakers, educators, and researchers seeking to address contemporary challenges in education quality, student outcomes, and alignment with national development goals. This study examines how historical decisions continue to shape educational practice and explores pathways for future reform.

The public education system of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is as young as the country itself. It was officially formed at the time of unification of the former Trucial States in 1971 and mandated free public education for all. Previously education had been limited to young males. Schools and resources were scarce, with records indicating only 4000 students attended twenty schools in 1961. Education at the time focused on religion, offering classes memorizing the Holy Quran and the Prophet's Hadiths, Islamic rituals, and calligraphy. Egypt and Kuwait were largely responsible for educational efforts at that time. In an effort to eradicate illiteracy nationwide, the UAE government – with no indigenous educational system of its own from which to draw – began the process of importing the skills needed to build local educational capacity, ultimately choosing an Egyptian model which serves as the foundation of the present public education system in the UAE.

This paper examines the impact of this historical decision on the current educational system before moving on to highlight recent efforts of public-school reform. It then considers the UAE government's vision for the future (Vision 2021) before making suggestions for further educational reform based on the tenets of the Vision.

Keywords: Public Education, UAE, Educational Reform, UAE Vision 2021

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/17-1-12

Publication date: January 30th 2026