Why more Emirati boys quit schools?

When five-year-old Saeed says he wants to be a policeman, it is seen as an innocent response at an early age. But, after adolescence, many Emirati boys like Saeed want to join the police and army only because they lack minimum education requirements. There’s also a guaranteed salary to go with it.

The lax entry levels into such prestigious and noble professions are contributing to the high dropout rate among Emirati boys at the high school level and university, according to education experts. Male dropout rates at the secondary level in public schools are estimated to be around seven to 10 per cent, according to recent figures by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

This is higher than the female dropout rate at the same level with more Emirati women pursuing higher education than men. Natasha Ridge, research fellow at the Dubai School of Government (DSG) and an expert on UAE schools believes the education system places low expectations for young men. “Schools need to place high standards for boys,” she said.

According to her even for professions in the army and police, the emphasis must be on educated law enforcement officers. “There needs to be a requirement of minimum grade averages and educational levels to enter the military and police.”

Even if Emirati teenagers push themselves through high school and enrol into colleges, a substantial number give up somewhere in the middle of the course.

At the Dubai Men’s College, Ian Wood, counselor, says a majority quit before completing the foundation stage. The pre-degree programme that can take up to four years is a remedial course in English. It is taken by more than 90 per cent of the UAE nationals that enter federal universities. “More than 50 per cent drop out in the first semester to join the police or army,” Wood, says. “They do not finish the foundation course and thus cannot get into any of the other programmes.”

Curriculum constraints

Acquiring English language skills after school years is a painful process for many Emiratis who then veer away and look for alternatives in government jobs. Key subjects in public schools are taught in Arabic while a few hours are extended to the English language. Going to university, English is the language of study and schools are not preparing students for higher education.

Ridge has also found public schools recruiting teachers with poor English skills. “In Ras Al Khaimah, some public schools have teachers teaching Arabic content in the English classes.” The restrictions in the Ministry of Education curriculum and lack of support to students with learning difficulties adds to the problem. “The experience of learning is confined with cover-to-cover teaching,” Ridge says.

“Students have just an hour of physical education and there are no playing fields in some schools.” Art, music and technology classes for all-round development are non-existent past Grade 9. “Issues of the gifted or those with learning difficulties are also not being met. Some young men simply drop out due to the frustration with the entire education process,” Ridge, infers.

Gain without pain

Young Emirati men like to take the fast track in most situations. A recent study on classroom behaviour of male students conducted by Marilene Da Costa, faculty member at the DMC, found that most students expected to do well without putting in efforts. In a group of more than 24 students observed for two years, almost 50 per cent did not prepare for an examination.