Sheikh Hamdan announces new reward system for Dubai's best high school pupils

Cash prizes, scholarships and golden visas will be provided to top performers as part of plans to empower future generations

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, has unveiled a new rewards system for the emirate's brightest high-school pupils. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, has unveiled a rewards system to honour the emirate's brightest high school pupils.

Sheikh Hamdan said Emiratis and residents at both public and private schools would be in line for recognition under plans to empower future generations.

The scheme will include financial prizes for 50 top high school students, as well as academic sponsorships and scholarships for Emiratis at universities at home and abroad.

Outstanding expatriate pupils will win discounts at international university branches and will continue to receive golden visas for themselves and their families.

The UAE government announced in July 2021 that children who scored 95 per cent or more in final exams would receive the 10-year visa for themselves and their immediate families.

The latest strategy covers the Ministry of Education, American, British and International Baccalaureate curriculums.

The first batch of top performing pupils will be given their rewards in September.

Sheikh Hamdan said the initiative was in line with the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to invest in and harness the potential of young people who are ready to play a crucial rule in the country's development.

Sheikh Hamdan said on Twitter that Sheikh Mohammed had “boundless ambitions for the future of Dubai” which would require people with a “great deal of distinction, efficiency and creativity”.

Sheikh Mohammed on Tuesday made surprise phone calls to the UAE's best-performing public school pupils to tell them of their results, a day before they were officially released.

Emirates Schools Establishment, the UAE’s public school operator, released Grade 12 exam results for 28,775 pupils at public schools, plus a small number of private schools that follow the Ministry of Education curriculum.

The overall pass rate was 94.4 per cent.

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Dubai English Speaking School (Dess), one of the oldest schools in the country, was established in 1963 in a room of a residential villa in Dubai. Ruel Pableo / The National

Updated: July 04, 2022, 6:14 AM