Education

Back-to-School 2025: UAE gears up with new teachers, safety drives, and free bags for low-income students

Published

11 months ago

August 21, 2025

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As more than a million students across the UAE prepare to return to classrooms on Monday, August 25, the country is rolling out wide-ranging measures to ensure a safe, smooth, and supportive start to the new academic year. From the recruitment of new teachers to volunteer-driven initiatives, traffic campaigns, and flexible working hours for parents, the back-to-school season is being marked with a spirit of preparation and community.

1,700 new teachers join GEMS schools

Education powerhouse GEMS Education has recruited more than 1,700 new teachers for the 2025–26 school year, drawn from a diverse range of countries. The announcement came during the group’s annual induction programme, GEMS Awareness Day.

Chairman and founder Sunny Varkey described the year ahead as a “turning point” in education, stressing that while technology and AI would continue to shape learning, “no machine or line of code could replace a teacher’s warmth and encouragement.”

GEMS revealed it receives more than 600,000 job applications annually for about 2,000 vacancies, adding that it maintains some of the highest staff retention rates in the sector.

Volunteers pack schoolbags for students in need

In Abu Dhabi, Dubai Cares, supported by Aldar Properties as exclusive sponsor, organised its annual Back to School volunteer initiative. Hundreds of volunteers, including 80 Aldar employees, packed thousands of schoolbags with essential supplies for students from low-income families across the UAE.

The bags will be distributed through partner schools and charities in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, and Umm Al Quwain. Abdullah Ahmed Al Shehhi, COO of Dubai Cares, said the initiative reflected the UAE’s spirit of unity in the Year of the Community.

RTA calls on bus operators to prioritise safety
In Dubai, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has urged all school bus operators to be fully prepared, ensuring the highest safety and comfort standards for students of all ages.

The RTA said its teams will carry out inspection campaigns to monitor compliance with safety procedures and school transport laws. Drivers are required to follow traffic rules, avoid blocking roads near schools, and prioritise smooth traffic flow.

Training for drivers and supervisors is mandatory, covering safe handling of students, adherence to traffic laws, and professional conduct.
Supervisors must escort children safely when boarding and disembarking buses.
Health and safety protocols remain central to the authority’s back-to-school program.

The RTA commended operators’ efforts and highlighted continuous communication with parents to reassure them of their children’s daily commute.

Police step up safety and awareness campaigns

Abu Dhabi Police have finalised preparations for the new academic year, rolling out measures to enhance road safety and student protection. Their plan includes:

Traffic patrols and school-zone monitoring at intersections and pedestrian crossings.
Awareness programmes for students, parents, and teachers on drug abuse, cyberbullying, online safety, and positive citizenship.
Lectures and training for school bus drivers and staff to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Accident-Free Day offers motorists black point relief

The Federal Traffic Council has launched its annual Accident-Free Day campaign on the first day of school. Drivers who avoid accidents and follow traffic rules on August 25 will have four black points cleared from their licences by mid-September. Authorities expect heavy congestion on the first day, making safe driving especially critical.

Flexible working hours for parents

To ease the transition, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) has instructed ministries and government entities to allow parents of schoolchildren up to three hours of flexible working time on August 25. This will help parents manage school drop-offs and pick-ups without work pressure.

Looking ahead

With new teachers in classrooms, volunteers rallying for underprivileged students, and authorities prioritising safety, the UAE’s back-to-school season underscores not only preparedness but also the country’s strong sense of community. As Sunny Varkey noted, the human element remains central, whether in the classroom, on the road, or in the collective effort to support children’s education.

Michael Gomes

With over 35 years of experience in journalism, copywriting, and PR, Michael Gomes is a seasoned media professional deeply rooted in the UAE’s print and digital landscape.

Education

Emirates recruits UAE students to turn retired aircraft into new products

Published

14 hours ago

July 30, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Emirates Engineering has launched a new programme giving UAE university students the chance to transform retired aircraft materials into innovative products while gaining hands-on experience with the airline’s engineering teams.

Called Material Futures Studio, the six-week initiative is led by Emirates Engineering’s Upcycling department. It aims to inspire the next generation of aviation engineers by challenging students to find creative new uses for materials recovered from retired aircraft.

The first edition brings together 23 students from Khalifa University, Emirates Aviation University and the University of Sharjah.

Students began the programme with an orientation session and a behind-the-scenes tour of Emirates Engineering’s facilities in Dubai, where they met senior leaders, explored aircraft maintenance operations and visited the airline’s upcycling workshop to see how retired aircraft materials are already being turned into new products.

How the programme works

Over six weeks, participants will develop concepts and prototypes using materials recovered from retired aircraft, with guidance from Emirates Engineering specialists throughout the design and development process.

The programme will conclude with a showcase where students present their final ideas and prototypes.

According to Emirates, the initiative is designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry by giving students practical engineering experience while enabling the airline to tap into fresh ideas and emerging talent.

Part of Emirates’ sustainability efforts

Material Futures Studio builds on Emirates’ wider sustainability strategy and its multi-billion-dollar aircraft retrofit programme.

The airline is currently refurbishing 219 Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft, one of the largest retrofit projects in the aviation industry. Rather than discarding materials removed during the upgrades, Emirates Engineering has been repurposing them into new products through its in-house upcycling projects.

These include the Aircrafted by Emirates collection of limited-edition luggage, bags and accessories made from reclaimed aircraft materials, as well as Aircrafted KIDS, which transforms retired aircraft fabrics into backpacks for children. Emirates says more than 4,000 backpacks have already been donated to children in 11 countries.

Education

Need a school fee certificate? Abu Dhabi families can now get it online in minutes

Published

2 weeks ago

July 20, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Parents and students in Abu Dhabi can now obtain an officially attested private school fee certificate in just six minutes through the TAMM government services platform, making the process quicker and more convenient than ever.

The fully digital service allows users to request and receive a certified tuition fee certificate without uploading any supporting documents. This certificate is commonly required for government procedures, financial aid requests, scholarship applications, and other official purposes.

Applying is simple and can be completed entirely online. Users need to sign in using their UAE PASS account, submit the application, pay the Dh15 service fee electronically, and download the certified digital certificate once it is issued.

By moving the entire process online, TAMM helps families save time while providing fast access to an important document whenever it’s needed for official or financial requirements.

Education

Dubai’s KHDA launches new councils giving parents and teachers a voice

Published

2 months ago

June 8, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Parents and teachers in Dubai will soon have a direct role in shaping the future of education, following the launch of two new advisory councils by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Building on the success of the Dubai Students Council, KHDA has announced the creation of the Dubai Parents Council and Dubai Educators Council, both set to begin work at the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

Giving parents and teachers a voice

Each council will consist of 15 members selected through a transparent process and will serve as a formal platform for dialogue between the education community and regulators.

The initiative attracted strong interest, with KHDA receiving 152 applications for the Parents Council and 160 applications for the Educators Council, including submissions from Emirati parents and teachers across Dubai.

Supporting Dubai’s education vision

The new councils are designed to strengthen community participation in education and support the goals of Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy.

Members will have the opportunity to share ideas, highlight challenges and contribute recommendations on key issues affecting schools and early childhood centres across the emirate.

Focus on student success

The councils are expected to discuss a range of topics, including student wellbeing, inclusion, teaching quality, parental engagement and school-community partnerships.

KHDA said the move reflects its commitment to collaborative decision-making and aims to strengthen trust between families, educators and education authorities.

By formally including parents and teachers in the conversation, Dubai is taking another step towards creating a more inclusive and responsive education system that reflects the needs of its diverse school community.