Although the UAE has achieved much in the field of education, there is a real awareness that constant updating of policy and continual investment in infrastructure is required to ensure that graduates are properly equipped to enter the work force and assist in the country's development. To this end, the Ministry of Education has produced a policy document outlining a strategy for further educational development in the UAE up to the year 2020, based on several five-year plans.www.education.gov.ae

Primary and secondary education is provided for all UAE citizens. The existing educational structure, which was established in the early 1970s, is a four-tier system covering 14 years of education.

Age level from: 4 to: 5 years old

Length of programme in years: 6
Age level from: 6 to: 12

Length of programme in years: 3
Age level from: 12 to: 15

Length of programme in years: 3
Age level from: 15 to: 18
Certificate/diploma awarded: Secondary School Leaving Certificate

Length of programme in years: 6
Age level from: 12 to: 18
Certificate/diploma awarded: Technical Secondary Diploma

Primary school education is compulsory for all UAE citizens. Government policy is to provide staff/student ratios of 1:20 at kindergarten and primary levels; and 1:15 at intermediate and secondary levels. The existing staff/student ratios are well within this proposed range.

Handicapped centres supervised by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs cater to those with hearing and physical disabilities, the visually impaired and others with special needs. The Ministry is constantly improving its facilities, at the same time emphasising the role of the family in caring for the disabled. The percentage of disabled people in the UAE is similar to the worldwide average, i.e. 8-10 per cent of the population. Some major new developments are under way, including a large centre in Abu Dhabi with 70 classrooms and 20 training workshops and the Al Thikka Club which opened in Sharjah. The Ministry of Education and Youth, together with the Red Crescent Society, also opened a centre for autistic children in Abu Dhabi, the first in a number of such centres planned by the Ministry.

Higher Colleges of Technology were established in 1988. Located in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain, Ras al-Khaimah and Fujairah, these colleges prepare nationals for professional and technological careers in both government and private sectors. Since their foundation, the colleges have grown significantly, with staff and students increasing by about 30 per cent each year.

The UAE University located in Al Ain, has eight faculties and was established in 1976. In the last 24 years, it has become a leading institution in education, research and community service. The University is also proving to be the most popular destination for students seeking higher education in the UAE with over 15,000 students currently studying at their facilities.

The Centre for Excellence for Applied Research and Training (CERT) runs a countrywide continuing education programmeme for all nationalities. The programmeme has been designed for professional development and personal enrichment for people with an eye for continuing education. Initial projects include 100 face-to-face instructor-led courses and approximately 100 on line courses through a Cert website: cert.hct.ac.ae/

Zayed University was established in 1998 to prepare leaders who will foresee the possibilities and capture the opportunities that will create the future of the United Arab Emirates. The University has campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Enrollment on the campuses as of 2003 is over 2000 students, all of them female nationals. The University is small enough to enable students to have personal interaction with faculty, yet sufficiently large to offer them a range of challenging degree programs in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Sciences, Communication and Media Sciences, Education, Family Sciences and Information Systems. Zayed University also runs a number of research centers which reach out to many areas of society, including media, education and the business community. Among them is SmartSquare, created to facilitate the improvement of businesses and technology projects for the U.A.E. and the region. Zayed University's web site is www.zu.ac.ae.

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