• Pupils arriving on the first day back of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai. Nearly 13,000 pupils went back for in-person classes across three campuses. All photos: Ruel Pableo for The National
    Pupils arriving on the first day back of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai. Nearly 13,000 pupils went back for in-person classes across three campuses. All photos: Ruel Pableo for The National
  • Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai. Close to 95 per cent of these pupils were returning to in-person schooling for the first time in 18 months.
    Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai. Close to 95 per cent of these pupils were returning to in-person schooling for the first time in 18 months.
  • Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai. Pupils were excited to meet their friends and teachers again.
    Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai. Pupils were excited to meet their friends and teachers again.
  • Pupils go through the proper sanitation protocol on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils go through the proper sanitation protocol on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils arriving in school buses on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils arriving in school buses on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils arriving on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils queuing to enter their classrooms on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Teacher Usha Devi on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Teacher Usha Devi on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Students on their first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Students on their first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Punit MK Vasu, chief executive of the Indian High School, on the first day of in-person learning.
    Punit MK Vasu, chief executive of the Indian High School, on the first day of in-person learning.
  • Pupils listen to their teacher on their first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Pupils listen to their teacher on their first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Priyal Babariya was one of the pupils to attend on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
    Priyal Babariya was one of the pupils to attend on the first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School in Oud Metha, Dubai.
  • Sian Shinjo, a 10th grader at the school, said: 'I am a bit nervous as everything has changed a lot. I am sure it will be safe, and the school has kept us informed.'
    Sian Shinjo, a 10th grader at the school, said: 'I am a bit nervous as everything has changed a lot. I am sure it will be safe, and the school has kept us informed.'
  • Rohi Ilyas, a mother-of-two and an entrepreneur, said her children had studied at home for 18 months.
    Rohi Ilyas, a mother-of-two and an entrepreneur, said her children had studied at home for 18 months.
  • Utkarsh Chaube, father of a 13-year-old pupil at the Indian High School, said his son spent about 10 to 12 hours in a day in front of a screen when studying remotely.
    Utkarsh Chaube, father of a 13-year-old pupil at the Indian High School, said his son spent about 10 to 12 hours in a day in front of a screen when studying remotely.
  • Pupils on their first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School.
    Pupils on their first day of in-person learning at the Indian High School.
  • Sathya Lakshmi, 15, said seeing everyone back together was the most special part of returning to in-person classes.
    Sathya Lakshmi, 15, said seeing everyone back together was the most special part of returning to in-person classes.
  • Uma Madhumohan, whose daughter Tejasvi is a 10th grader at the school, said her daughter was excited to get back to learning.
    Uma Madhumohan, whose daughter Tejasvi is a 10th grader at the school, said her daughter was excited to get back to learning.
  • 'I am on cloud nine. It’s been one-and-a-half-years since I have been on campus for in-person classes and I have missed it and my friends terribly,' said Nehan Naseem Ali, 12.
    'I am on cloud nine. It’s been one-and-a-half-years since I have been on campus for in-person classes and I have missed it and my friends terribly,' said Nehan Naseem Ali, 12.
  • Pupils back at work inside the classroom.
    Pupils back at work inside the classroom.
  • 'Having the pupils back is unbelievable. I feel ecstatic,' said Punit MK Vasu, chief executive of the Indian High School.
    'Having the pupils back is unbelievable. I feel ecstatic,' said Punit MK Vasu, chief executive of the Indian High School.
  • Indian High school
    Indian High school

Teacher pay freezes to end at some UAE schools


Anam Rizvi
  • English
  • Arabic

Read More: Teacher salaries in the UAE: a guide to earning potential at government and private schools

Improved enrolments and an acknowledgement that schools need to retain staff are two key factors that have led several schools in the Emirates to announce plans to remove pay freezes introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic.

From next year, some teachers will receive pay increases and incremental raises that were put on hold.

Education analysts said many schools in the Emirates were unable to increase salaries for staff during the first year of the pandemic after enrolments took a hit.

The UAE's handling of the pandemic has led to a sharp increase in people relocating to the country during the summer, boosting school numbers across the country, but particularly in Dubai.

Taaleem, one of Dubai’s largest school groups, runs 17 schools in the UAE and announced it would remove the freeze on teachers' salaries in September 2022.

A pay freeze had been introduced in March 2020.

It is now time to recognise and reward staff for the difficulties that they struggled with and show our sincere appreciation
Alan Williamson,
chief executive of Taaleem

"We are one of the first education providers within the UAE to announce that we are removing pay freezes for current staff," said Kate Fisher, head of human resources at Taaleem.

“Many education providers announced a pay freeze during the pandemic and we have officially announced that we will be lifting the pay freeze in September 2022.

“We never reduced any salaries during Covid-19. We have an incremental pay increase every year and are reinstating these increments in September for all staff.”

Taaleem employs 1,200 teachers in the country.

"The UAE economy is showing rapid signs of recovery," said Alan Williamson, chief executive of Taaleem.

"It is now time to recognise and reward staff for the difficulties that they struggled with and show our sincere appreciation for the effort, empathy and enterprise they showed towards the pupils and parents in their schools.

"The quality of a school never exceeds the quality of its staff and in a time of renewed confidence in the market, ambitious expansion plans and a drive to recruit and retain world class staff, it is imperative that we return, from September 2022 to annual increments that reward experience and expertise.

"All staff across our 17 owned and managed schools will benefit from this return to normality. We hope that other schools and groups will be inspired by our lead."

  • 'The National' went a tour of Gulf Model School in Muhaisnah to see how the school was making changes to get all pupils back into the classroom safely on October 3. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
    'The National' went a tour of Gulf Model School in Muhaisnah to see how the school was making changes to get all pupils back into the classroom safely on October 3. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Only 1,000 pupils have returned to in-person classes but nearly all the school's 2,700 pupils will be back for face-to-face lessons from Sunday.
    Only 1,000 pupils have returned to in-person classes but nearly all the school's 2,700 pupils will be back for face-to-face lessons from Sunday.
  • Of the 235 pupils in KG1, only 85 have been attending the classroom but all are expected back on Sunday.
    Of the 235 pupils in KG1, only 85 have been attending the classroom but all are expected back on Sunday.
  • A cleaner sanitises the furniture.
    A cleaner sanitises the furniture.
  • Hand-sanitiser dispensers have been placed across the school.
    Hand-sanitiser dispensers have been placed across the school.
  • Pupils in grades one to 12 will have to maintain a one-metre distance between each other.
    Pupils in grades one to 12 will have to maintain a one-metre distance between each other.
  • Safety instructions are placed on walls to remind pupils to follow the rules.
    Safety instructions are placed on walls to remind pupils to follow the rules.
  • Social distancing rules in the toilet to avoid crowding.
    Social distancing rules in the toilet to avoid crowding.
  • A member of the bus staff disinfects the seats.
    A member of the bus staff disinfects the seats.

Jeff Evans, principal at Global English School in Al Ain and former director of Learning Key Education Consultancy in the UAE, said teachers' salaries in the Emirates had now started to return to normal.

"It has only just started to stabilise. I would not say yet that it is recovering but we are on the road to a return to normality,” he said.

His school temporarily cut staff salaries by 25 per cent during the pandemic but a pay freeze is no longer in place, he said.

"Salaries were reduced for six months after the start of Covid-19 and restored in September 2020,” he said.

"There is a small performance-related increment under discussion for January 2022.”

Mr Evans said the pandemic had a big effect on enrolments, particularly at schools that charge high fees.

"I don’t think many schools increased the package in the last two years because obviously the pandemic affected enrolments," he said.

"It certainly increased competition with parents looking for more affordable schools.

"That’s definitely a trend that affected the premium-fee schools, particularly as they had intensified competition."

More than four in 10 parents of pupils at private schools in Dubai pay less than Dh18,000 ($4,900) in fees every year, a report published by the regulator of schools in the emirate found this month.

Mr Evans said some schools did not cut teachers' salaries because staff were working harder while classes were held online, with teachers having to adapt quickly to new technology and communicate with parents out of hours.

Private schools in Dubai did not increase fees for the 2021-22 academic year, the second consecutive year that fees remained steady.

Beno Kurien, principal at International Indian School Abu Dhabi, said it was able to give some teachers pay rises last year.

Teachers who were up for appraisals were able to enjoy increases of between 10 and 15 per cent, based on their performance. Teachers' salaries were not reduced, he said.

Fiona McKenzie, head of education at Carfax Education, an international education consultancy in the UAE, said schools were "very aware of the value of retaining staff who are familiar with the local context and reviewing the salary structure is part of an ongoing programme to attract and retain the best teachers".

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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

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%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20The%20digitisation%20of%20financial%20services%20will%20continue%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Managing%20and%20using%20data%20effectively%20will%20become%20a%20competitive%20advantage%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Digitisation%20will%20require%20continued%20adjustment%20of%20operating%20models%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Banks%20will%20expand%20their%20role%20in%20the%20customer%20life%20through%20ecosystems%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20The%20structure%20of%20the%20sector%20will%20change%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
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6026 – Dh 200

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Barings Bank

 Barings, one of Britain’s oldest investment banks, was
founded in 1762 and operated for 233 years before it went bust after a trading
scandal. 

Barings Bank collapsed in February 1995 following colossal
losses caused by rogue trader Nick Lesson. 

Leeson gambled more than $1 billion in speculative trades,
wiping out the venerable merchant bank’s cash reserves.  

Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are NFTs?

Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.

This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.

The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Updated: November 15, 2021, 3:01 PM