Every child has a right to an education. But this right is violated as children around the world are forced to flee their homes as a result of natural disasters, conflicts and emergencies. It could be years before these children have any access to learning. Many find themselves simply excluded from education for the long term.
According to the UN, only 34 per cent of refugee children enrol in secondary school. This figure is a startling reminder of how children continue to bear the brunt of ongoing crises. The war in Ukraine has meant that nearly 7.5 million children are facing unprecedented disruption in their lessons. Save the Children reports that an average of 22 schools come under attack every day and, as Unicef has found, 55 children flee the country every minute.
Only 63 per cent of refugee children go to primary school. And studies have shown that as refugee children get older, access to education becomes harder. Reports suggest that more than 75 per cent of Syrian refugee children drop out of school before reaching the secondary level.
Language barriers, unfamiliar subject material, lack of access to resources, poor funding and general declines in well-being threaten vulnerable children’s schooling. Despite calls for aid and a global commitment to give these children a second chance, they continue to struggle with basic access to the necessary building blocks for a quality education.
If we don’t address this crisis early, we miss a series of inter-connected opportunities. Education is directly linked to social development and economic growth. Empowering even a single child with an education means that they have the means to build their skills, live independently, be financially self-reliant and contribute to their communities.
It could be years before these children have any access to learning
Education and literacy can unlock hope for thousands of displaced refugees around the world. Refugee children, like all other children their age, want to go to school. They have dreams to become doctors and journalists, engineers and actors. Unfortunately, too many are disappointed by systemic failures.
Nations must come together urgently and strategically to give them hope for the future. Some of the most obvious needs to address include access to quality materials, including textbooks, online resources and examinations that allow for progression.
Each of these areas should be dealt with thoughtfully. For example, learners living through conflict need access to well-constructed, edited and sensitively designed textbooks. Textbooks can be an opportunity to introduce peace-building capabilities. For a generation that has known extreme violence, displacement and conflict, well-designed learning materials could help plant seeds of hope for a better future.
An underestimated and pressing concern today is a smooth transition into other education systems. Displaced children need to be able to continue their learning journey – building on what they have learned already and opening opportunities for further education in the future. In Bangladesh, Cambridge Partnership for Education and Unicef have adopted a holistic approach to develop an education programme for Rohingya refugee children, to help them re-integrate into the education system.
In the UAE, the Dubai Government announced an initiative to provide education to 1 million refugees over the next five years. This will bring digital learning to displaced and underprivileged children via tie-ups with leading universities. The programme aims to reduce the number of children out of school using the training and online learning methodologies. It is important that the initiative is considering accreditation so the pupil’s diploma is recognised, and they can continue their learning journey.
More on children's education
Digital learning has rapidly scaled up post-pandemic but is still making its way into refugee communities. Displaced learners – who were already suffering from lack of access to conventional learning resources – struggled during the pandemic without any access to digital infrastructure and devices.
There is an urgent need for a focused approach to learning among refugee children. More investments are needed to bridge the digital divide, close critical gaps in refugee education and integrate these children into the national infrastructure.
Over the past two years, something called the Learning Passport has reached 2.2 million people in 23 countries. It is a special platform to enable access to continuous quality education online and offline. Born from a partnership between Unicef, Microsoft and Cambridge, it specifically targets children and young people who are out of school. It provides a record of learning for each pupil, so it can be taken across physical and digital borders.
It’s not an easy journey as refugee children still struggle for access to basic learning resources. However, initiatives such as Dubai’s Digital School for refugee children and the Learning Passport could be catalysts for further investments and a shift to new approaches.
The international community is turning to face what is set to become one of the biggest challenges of the century – re-integrating displaced communities as a result of forced mass migration. There is no simple solution to the problem, but a cohesive and sensitive approach to people who have suffered unimaginable loss is a good start.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
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Name: Gul Raziq
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Childhood sport: cricket
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Rating: 4.5/5
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: January 2019
Number of employees: 10
Sector: Technology/Social media
Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support
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Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
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The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
