Arab parents living in the West struggle with teaching their children Arabic. I brought up my children in 1990s Britain. Passing my mother tongue on to them was an uphill battle. Sadly, this problem is now also affecting many children living on the Arabian Peninsula, where some are growing up fluent in English but struggling in Arabic reading skills. It should not be so. A bilingual child – enriched by both languages and both cultures - should be an aspiration, realistically achieved.
My children’s first words were in Arabic. But as soon as nursery started, the child entered a non-Arab world. They picked up English from the nursery staff. They picked it up from television and the playground, friends and neighbours. English became the language of schoolwork and the street. English started to overtake Arabic. Gradually it became the dominant language.
As a parent, I found myself swimming against the tide. Other Arab parents did a better job than me. These parents insisted that the child speak to them only in Arabic. This had its drawbacks. Over time, the conversations between parent and child did not develop in their complexity. With limited, weak Arabic the child could only talk to their parents about simple matters. Intricate discussions and difficult questions had to be avoided.
The reason I decided to speak to my children in English was to avoid this fate. I chose closeness to the child and the importance of passing on mature values and world views. I wanted to listen to their concerns and growing pains. They could talk to me about these things only in English. And so, in a way, the Arabic was sacrificed.
Arab families living in GCC countries are in a privileged position. Here they can bring up their children fluent in both languages. However, if English is the language of school and mall, the enthusiasm among parents to promote Arabic language skills will wane.
Parents want the best for their children. They want them to graduate with the best results. They want them to enrol in top universities and eventually secure good jobs. For this, English is essential. Arabic, in many cases, is not.
It does not have to be this way. I consider myself bilingual. Even though I write my novels in English, Arabic is essential to me. I read Arabic every day, I speak to my mother in Arabic. For my latest novel, set in the late 19th century, I was dependent on archival sources that were in Arabic and unavailable in translation.
Many of my generation were able to carry two languages, both strong and well developed. This is not the case among many young people today. In recent years, efforts have been made to enhance the teaching of Arabic in schools. Modern, colourful teaching tools are being used. Arabic is made to be as relatable as English.
These efforts are to be welcomed. I remember my own struggles with Arabic grammar at school in the 1970s. I remember how, as a 12-year-old, I had to study the particularly dismal autobiography The Days by Taha Hussein. Reading about abject poverty and the cruel deprivations of a blind child in an Egyptian village, should not have been part of a middle school syllabus. So, it is wonderful that young children now are learning Arabic in appealing and less austere ways.
My children’s first words were in Arabic. But as soon as nursery started, the child entered a non-Arab world
But where are parents going to put their greatest effort? If Arabic is desirable and English is necessary, then English will dominate. If Arabic is the language of tradition, while English is the language of food on the table, more effort will be put on the latter. If grades in English determine the future of a child, while Arabic is a voluntary extra, it is no surprise which language will be the priority. If English is cosmopolitan and Arabic is deemed old-fashioned, the status-seekers will gravitate towards English.
Raising the overall status of Arabic language would have an indirect but profound effect. Private schools throughout the GCC should make Arabic compulsory for all students, regardless of nationality. Universities should demand Arabic language skills as a prerequisite to enrolment. Employers should demand a basic knowledge of Arabic and a CV in Arabic. This would create a ripple effect. If Arabic proficiency is necessary, then people will seek the relevant certificates. They would be compelled to take on the challenge. They would be willing to invest effort, money and time on learning Arabic.
Arabic language skills should be rewarded with better employment prospects. Learning Arabic would then be a necessity rather than a duty or an enhancement.
A week before International Literacy Day, Sharjah ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi inaugurated, in Milan, a centre focusing on Arabic culture and heritage. This is a significant event, and this new Arab Cultural Institute reminded me of the British Council and the Goethe Institute of my childhood in Khartoum. These were exciting cultural hubs which gave local people a taste of European culture and languages. They provided films and talks but there were also rigorous language lessons with tests and diplomas.
Such Arabic institutes would facilitate the study of the language in the West. It would raise the status of Arabic and make it an appealing world language. It might not be an obvious link, but I believe such an initiative will ultimately boost Arabic inside the UAE. Indirectly, it would encourage Arab families to invest in teaching their children the language. Perhaps these institutes could also help Arab families living in the diaspora.
My children, now adults, reproach me for not having persevered in teaching them Arabic, for not having been strict enough. My excuse to them is that I was a struggling immigrant, in the 1990s before even the internet. I had little access to materials, and I was overwhelmed by the culture shock of my new life in Britain. Families bringing up their children in the UAE do not have these excuses. Instead, they are in the ideal place to raise bilingual children confident and enriched by both Arabic and English.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures (all in UAE time)
Friday
Everton v Burnley 11pm
Saturday
Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm
West Ham United v Southampton 6pm
Wolves v Fulham 6pm
Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm
Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm
Sunday
Chelsea v Watford 5pm
Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm
Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm
Monday
Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
