Secondary Model School for boys in Sharjah teaches Japanese - in pictures
Secondary Model School for boys in Sharjah believes learning Japanese helps broaden pupils' minds and prepare them for a better future. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
Japanese is spoken by more than 120 million people
Majid Abdulkareem was drawn to Japanese by the many anime movies he watched
As well as learning a new language, pupils are being introduced to a different culture, said deputy academic director Zaina Al Hassooni
Three teachers, one for each school, were recruited from Japan to teach in the UAE as part of the programme
Habeeb Asad, from Iraq, said he enjoys the teaching methods
Pupils said they are keen to keep learning Japanese in the future