The UAE has announced a shake-up at the Ministry of Education with new ministers chosen and a brief to re-evaluate how young people are taught.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said the goal of the changes is to ensure graduates are well prepared for the workplaces of the future.
"The education sector today is not the same as yesterday ... and our ambitions today are not like yesterday," Sheikh Mohammed said on Twitter.
He set out structural changes across the education system, with increased focus on improving state schools and early childhood development.
Ahmed Al Falasi, currently Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs, becomes Minister of Education, overseeing public and private schools and universities nationwide.
Sarah Al Amiri, an engineer who has led the UAE's space agency during historic missions, including sending a probe to Mars and an astronaut to the International Space Station, will oversee public education and how young people are taught about technology. Ms Al Amiri is currently Minister of State for Advanced Sciences.
Sheikh Mohammed confirmed the appointment of Ms Al Amiri as Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Schools Establishment.
"My leaders and role models, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, thank you for the trust you have placed in me by appointing me as Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Schools Establishment," Ms Al Amiri wrote on Twitter.
She has been directed to develop an integrated and comprehensive plan to upgrade public schools.
Sheikh Mohammed wrote: "After consultation with my brother, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we announce today a major structural change in the UAE’s education sector.
"We appointed Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi as the Minister of Education. We directed him to review all legislations and policies related to the education system in our country."
Hussein Al Hammadi, the previous Minister of Education, and Jameela Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education, were thanked for their service by Sheikh Mohammed.
In a tweet, Mr Al Falasi added: "It was an honour to work with you in the team of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. All thanks and appreciation to you and we ask God for success for all of us."
New focus on birth to Year 4
Sheikh Mohammed also announced the newly established Federal Authority for Early Education, affiliated with the Cabinet.
"We also announce the appointment of Sara Musallam as the Minister of State for Early Education, and to supervise the newly established Federal Authority for Early Education.
"Sara will be responsible for developing comprehensive plans to follow up the child development from birth to the fourth grade.
"The correct development of our children is the guarantee of our education’s success."
"We also announce the restructuring of the Education and Human Resources Council, headed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, so that the council will supervise the project for the future of education in the country in line with our ambitions, consolidate our national identity, and ensure educational outcomes that meet our future development, economic and social needs," Sheikh Mohammed said.
Roles and responsibilities
The Federal Authority for Quality and Standards of Education
A new specialised authority to be affiliated with the UAE Cabinet. It will be mainly responsible for measuring the outcomes, student performance, and the efficiency of the educational process.
The authority will be responsible for measuring the quality of education; auditing educational outputs; early childhood education; kindergarten; public education; and higher education, in addition to submitting reports on the results and proposals to develop policies, strategies, legislation and curricula.
The Federal Authority for Early Childhood Education
The new structure created a federal authority specialised in early childhood education, to develop and introduce comprehensive plans to follow up the child development from birth to the fourth grade. Affiliated with the UAE Cabinet, the authority will be responsible for developing policies, strategies, legislations and programmes related to the education needs of the early childhood stage.
The authority will be responsible for setting regulations and standards, and issuing licenses and monitoring government and private nurseries, in co-ordination with local authorities. It will also work with parents to enhance their role in the early childhood stage.
Developing the Ministry of Education
According to the new structure, the responsibilities of the Ministry of Education will include developing policies, strategies and legislation related to public and higher education.
The ministry’s functions include managing and developing the general education framework; curricula and tools for government public education schools; developing curricula for compulsory educational materials for private schools; setting standards and regulations; and issuing licenses and monitoring private schools in co-ordination with the competent local authorities.
The work of the ministry also consists of supervising international exams in the country and managing their implementation in all public, private and higher education institutions, in co-ordination with the concerned authorities.
It also recognises public and higher education institutions operating outside the country, the equivalency of certificates and qualifications they grant, and ratification of certificates and qualifications issued by public and higher education and training institutions licensed within the country.
The Emirates Schools Establishment
The new structure of the education system included the Emirates Schools Establishment, which comes under the umbrella of the UAE Cabinet. This is focused on the efficiency of government schools and nurseries, supervising public schools in the country, and implementing policies, strategies and standards related to the development of the education sector.
Under the new structure, the Establishment will also be specialised in developing student-care programmes, activities and events in public schools, supervising their implementation, and proposing innovative and new models for operating public schools to raise their efficiency.
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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.”
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
