Language isn’t just a medium of communication. It is also integral to our identities – “the pedigree of nations”, as the 18th-century English writer Samuel Johnson described it. This is in line with much of the thinking in the UAE, which has witnessed much emphasis on the need to promote Arabic-language use. The UAE’s Ministry of Education recently announced a nationwide push to preserve Arabic and encourage its wider use.
When the new academic year begins next week, it will introduce Arabic tests starting from the first grade in government schools. The results of these tests will provide the basis for whether or not the ministry decides to enhance the curriculum.
Other measures include a mandate for private schools to teach at least 40 minutes of Arabic lessons every day, with a plan to increase their duration the following academic year. New criteria have also been introduced for hiring teachers at government schools that will measure how well they know Emirati culture and society.
As Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri said on Tuesday, the focus is on “refining students’ abilities and skills, national identity and an increased emphasis on language”.
The context for these measures appears to be the justifiably growing disquiet among experts over the rising prominence of English at Arabic's expense as the preferred language of communication for young people in many Middle Eastern countries.
There is, of course, little doubting the pride of place Arabic enjoys in the world today, and its place as the language of the Holy Quran. It is spoken by more than 400 million people in 22 countries, and it is one of the UN’s six official languages. By some estimates, at least 50 languages feature words derived from Arabic.
While Arabic is a language that is more than 2,000 years old and will continue to be actively used, we are living in an epoch that is defined by ever greater levels of globalisation, migration, cosmopolitanism, urbanisation and internet penetration. As the Sudanese author Leila Aboulela wrote in these pages, “if English is the language of school and mall, the enthusiasm among parents to promote Arabic language skills will wane”.
Arabic isn’t the only language that is competing for mind space with English among youngsters today. This trend has taken root in other parts of Asia and Africa, too. The English-speaking societies of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have also seen a considerable decline in their native tongues.
But the status of English – as the global language, and one that vastly improves employment and career growth prospects – is also beyond doubt. Policymakers in the UAE understand this innately. They know that sensible policy can ensure learning additional languages doesn’t have to come at a cost of ignoring one’s native tongue. This is especially given that fluency in more than one language tends to boost cognitive ability, academic performance and employability. As the eighth-century emperor Charlemagne said, “To have a second language is to have a second soul.”
Writing in these pages on the subject of preserving Arabic, the Emirati writer and researcher Sultan Al Qassemi once asked whether Arabic speakers can globalise and modernise without losing their language.
Judging by this week’s announcement – which includes added emphasis on learning Arabic as on subjects of the future like artificial intelligence – it is clear that UAE policymakers intend to do just that.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The biog
Favourite food: Fish and seafood
Favourite hobby: Socialising with friends
Favourite quote: You only get out what you put in!
Favourite country to visit: Italy
Favourite film: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.
Family: We all have one!
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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
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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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.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
