Pupils at 127 Sharjah private schools are happier, more motivated and performing better academically, a study by education authorities in the emirate has found.
Conducted in January and February this year, the survey also found that a shorter school week meant better work-life balance and increased motivation for teachers and staff.
The Sharjah Private Education Authority study involved 31,198 families from more than 70 nationalities, with 66 per cent of respondents being mothers. They were asked to evaluate their well-being and happiness in percentage terms.
Improvements revealed by the survey are attributed to the introduction of the three-day weekend by the Sharjah government more than a year ago.
Respondents reported 77 per cent improvement in their children’s academic achievement, 78 per cent in social skills, 74 per cent in problem solving, 73 per cent in time management and 74 per cent in stress management.
The findings also showed an 81 per cent increase in daily school attendance and a 75 per cent rise in participation in extra-curricular activities.
This has contributed to an overall increase in happiness and well-being among Sharjah pupils.
The study found that 88 per cent of pupils are now spending more time with their families, with 80 per cent of them engaging in regular exercise, and 87 per cent visiting landmarks and cultural sites in the emirate.
Happier parents
One parent, Riham Ahmad, from Jordan, 42, who has three children in grades five, seven, and nine, said she enjoyed one day less of dropping them off and picking them up.
“One day less driving back and forth from school is truly a blessing, especially since it's really congested around home time and I almost never find a place to park my car,” she said.
“I also noticed a significant change in my children's attitude towards school and life in general.”
She said they were much more relaxed and focused on their studies.
“We have been spending more quality time together as a family as well,” she said.
Shireen Faheem, 39, from Egypt, said her two children in grades four and six were clearly happier with the long weekend.
“They didn’t like that their school day was extended by nearly an hour but nonetheless they show more happiness going to school than they used to before the long weekend,” she said.
Nearly 7,000 teachers and staff members, representing 43 per cent of the emirate’s private schools, took part in the survey.
Ninety per cent reported enjoying a better work-life balance, 91 per cent said they were spending more time with family and 88 per cent reported being more motivated to work.
Analysing open-ended comments by parents, the study found that the most frequently used words included ‘time’, which was expressed 5,662 times, ‘family’, used 2,348 times and the word ‘kids’, used 1,527 times.
Dr Muhadditha Al Hashimi, chairwoman of SPEA, said the shorter workweek had led to substantial improvements in the quality and performance of all aspects of the educational system.
“It has bolstered the system’s competitiveness, provided it with a valuable experience and also positioned it as a successful and inspirational role model,” she said.
“It has additionally empowered staff, pupils and parents to perfectly manage their time, which subsequently leads to a better quality of life, happiness and exceptional educational results.”
The study recommended more effective use of leisure time on weekends, urging pupils to engage in diverse activities that improve their personal and cognitive skills.
It advised more collaboration with relevant private-sector establishments to identify and support talents among pupils.
The research also drew attention to the importance of adopting smart and flexible approaches to teaching.
Sharjah three-day weekend — in pictures
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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The biog
From: Upper Egypt
Age: 78
Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila
Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace
Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
AIR
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The%20BaaS%20ecosystem
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STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Dengue%20fever%20symptoms
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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
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
Watford 1 (Deulofeu 80' p)
Chelsea 2 (Abraham 5', Pulisic 55')
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh12 million
Engine 8.0-litre quad-turbo, W16
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch auto
Power 1479 @ 6,700rpm
Torque 1600Nm @ 2,000rpm 0-100kph: 2.6 seconds 0-200kph: 6.1 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
About Okadoc
Date started: Okadoc, 2018
Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Healthcare
Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth
Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February
Investors: Undisclosed
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright
