Private school pupils to get taste of work under new education strategy

Dubai pupils will be matched with potential employers under new scheme

Private schools in Dubai are embracing vocational training

Dubai’s latest education strategy will match pupils in high schools with potential employers to ensure they get real-life work experience, while pupils who do not wish to follow an academic route will be able to choose from vocational options.

The Education Strategy 2033 – known as E33 – was announced in October by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. Aisha Miran, director general at Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority, told The National: “One of the cornerstones of the new strategy is a shift from a traditional institution-centric model to a learner-centric education system."

The project, which has just been announced, is expected to be rolled out among schools in the near future.

“This approach places the individual needs, aspirations, and potential of every learner at the centre of the educational experience. The goal is to create personalised learning journeys that empower students to excel academically and personally, preparing them for the future.”

One facet of the plan is to focus on identifying pupils or students with leadership potential and putting them through specialised programmes as well as a counselling and mentorship schemes which will offer career guidance. She explained how the different initiatives of the project, which she refers to as "game-changers", will operate.

“InternDXB will connect high school and university students with potential employers, ensuring they gain practical experience and career opportunities aligned with Dubai’s economic needs,” said Ms Miran. "The Skills for Tomorrow game-changer will empower residents to upskill and re-skill, fostering a culture of lifelong learning and driving the growth of a knowledge-based economy.”

KHDA’s EdTech Future Fund will allocate funds to invest in education technology start-ups, while LearnDXB will provide a digital platform that offers lifelong learning opportunities for residents.

There will also be a greater focus on vocational and technical training, offering alternative pathways for academics. The new action plan emphasises digital literacy and technology such as artificial intelligence, robotics, while data science will be embedded in the curriculum.

“These projects and others will drive a shift in schools towards more interactive, project-based and skill-orientated learning environments,” said Ms Miran. The new strategy will bring in a culture of lifelong education through initiatives that encourage people to improve their skills or learn new ones at any age. Under the new plan, there is a focus on strengthening the Arabic language, cultural identity, Islamic values, and multiculturalism.

Individualised learning

Swiss International Scientific School Dubai has a partnership with Emirates Hospitality and Jumeirah Group, with pupils studying hospitality going out once a week to get first-hand work experience.

Megan La Caze, head of secondary at Swiss International Scientific School Dubai, said: “We already have elements of project and personalised based learning all the way through. There's a lot of different things happening at lots of different levels to create that individual, personalised pathway for every child and get them to build their skills and experiences in doing so."

Pupils as young as 10 do a focus group assignment where they pick a topic they would like to research and address. Team members conduct research and find out possible solutions to the problem they've chosen. The school has clubs where pupils who enjoy making art create their portfolios and the school also organises a business fair every year at which pupils sell products they have created.

“We believe the benefit (of project-based and personalised learning) is the social skills, the collaboration skills, the communication skills, these are the skills that long after they leave secondary school will actually service them in being global citizens," said Ms La Caze.

"What we're teaching them is the skills of resilience, independent research, the ability to critically analyse different sources for themselves, to decide what's the next step in their project. They analyse perspectives and then communicate their learning, which is what we do as adults in the workforce every day.”

In September, The National reported that some UAE schools are ensuring children aged four to 18 learn through working on projects, giving pupils industry experience through internships and using an interdisciplinary approach in which subjects are combined.

The trend in the UAE follows a global movement. In Greece, for example, educators are working on transforming schools to focus on projects more intensively, adopt vocational training and integrate a new curriculum using artificial intelligence. In Dubai, pupils at Citizens School follow timetables, have a core curriculum and sit exams but also follow a project-based learning approach.

Top student cities plan

Dubai was placed 72nd in the 2025 QS Best Student Cities Ranking, announced in June. The new action strategy aims to place the city in the top 10 student cities worldwide. Dr Adam Fenech, provost at the Canadian University Dubai, said the goal was achievable but the short span of time to achieve this position may pose challenges.

“With the right amount of innovation, hard work, certainly it can be done. Time is one obstacle,” said Dr Fenech. The new education strategy pushes for personalising education for learners and Dr Fenech said many educators were already using practice-based learning.

"Students find it more interesting when there's a client with a real challenge that they are trying to solve," he said. "I support what the government is trying to do, to make all types of learning from kindergarten all the way up to higher education more experience-based.

“Project-based learning is really, really important. It usually means meeting with industries on a regular basis and listening to their needs for what the trained workforce are."

Dr Kyle Long, president of the American University in Dubai said: “Our university has long held that personalised learning and attention on individual learners is something of great importance and I'm glad to see that value reflected in an emirate-wide strategy.

“Setting the new goals and targets is good, but we'll need the resources in order to execute those so scholarships and fellowships and capacity building grants would be a really welcome way for institutions like ours that are eager to contribute to this goal or this new strategy."

He said authorities could encourage alternative models of traditional internships with new ways of engaging with industry. An example would be to find ways to bring in first or second-year university students to workplaces on short rotations of two or three days a week.