Pupils in the UAE coped with pandemic-related challenges and beat the odds to achieve record GCSE results this year.
UAE schools reported higher averages than the past few years with some schools saying pupils had performed better than ever.
Top marks at UK schools, meanwhile, dropped as the number of grades awarded between seven and the top score of nine fell by 3 per cent and the overall pass rate also fell.
Star pupil excited at getting nines in eight subjects
Sreya Gupta, 16, an Indian pupil at British School Al Khubairat, achieved eight exam scores of nine and one of eight, but in the hopes of getting straight nines said she would send the last paper for checking because she had missed by only a mark.
“For me it was nervous excitement before I got the result. I was just sitting and waiting to see the results as I was very tense,” said the Year 12 pupil.
“I was quite happy with the grades because I had walked out of the exam hall thinking some did not go so well, but I still got a nine in those subjects."
Sreya achieved nines in English language and literature, biology, chemistry, further mathematics, media studies, economics, and geography and got an eight in physics.
For her A levels, she intends to study mathematics, English literature, chemistry and economics with an aim to pursue a subject that is a fusion of Stem and humanities at university.
Pupil recovering from surgery is school's top scorer
Habibah Rashwan, 16, a British pupil at Brighton College Dubai, achieved five nines in maths, geography, drama, sciences, two A* in English and English literature and one 8 in design and technology.
Habibah, who is the school's head pupil scored the highest marks awarded to a pupil at Brighton. She also underwent major spinal surgery in the run-up to exams, forcing her to attend six weeks of classes remotely, and to sit exams while still recovering from the operation.
She was named Brightonian of the Year in the school’s awards for 2022.
For the pupil, receiving the result after the health challenges she had faced, was a huge achievement.
“I feel really ecstatic and did not expect this. Especially after having my year disrupted, I tried to lower my expectations, but when I opened the email with my results, I can't describe the feeling. I was overjoyed ... I really wished I could just freeze the moment in time,” Habibah said.
The pupil in December was found to have advanced adolescent scoliosis and had to travel to the UK for spinal fusion surgery in February.
“I had a drastic curve, around 60 degrees, which meant it had passed the point where I could have just worn a brace or gone for physiotherapy. Unfortunately, because my curve was so high, I had to undergo surgery. And I was told that it would be better to do it as soon as possible instead of waiting," she said.
She weighed her options and decided to get the surgery before her GCSEs, because she had started to feel some severe pain in her chest and back.
“I had a lot of faith in myself and I had faith that everything would work out," she said.
"However, there was a lot of difficulty just before the surgery. I was emotionally having a difficult time really, processing the fact that I've had this and that I'm going to have to go into surgery ... that definitely disrupted my effort and my energy to study at that time.
“After surgery, I spent about a month not doing any work because I just couldn't put any more pressure on my body and was already going through a lot with the recovery.
“My teachers gave me a lot of support, they gave me one-to-one sessions if I needed these, just to get that extra help from them … somehow it all just fell into place."
She said she had wanted to do really intense revision a couple of months before the exams, which didn't go as planned.
“I said to myself, lower your expectations because this hasn't been a normal year. But when I opened the email, I was crying I was so happy," she said.
She plans to study biology, chemistry and psychology for her A levels.
Tears of joy
Thomas Bateson, a 16-year-old British-Kazakhstani pupil at Brighton College Dubai, achieved nine scores between 7-9 and was extremely happy.
“I have been waiting for months to get these results. I was quite surprised and am really happy with these grades," Thomas said.
“I was not worried earlier but was scared before opening the envelope. I cried when I got my results."
The pupil achieved A* in English, French and geography and aims for a career in diplomacy.
For his A levels, he will study history, French and politics.
From a D to an A
Sofiya Zhuravleva, 16, a pupil at Brighton College Dubai, said she was very excited at receiving her results.
"I have been getting a C or D in history and ended up getting an A. I am just so happy. I feel amazing and I have never been happier. I feel like all my work paid off," said Sofiya, who is from Russia.
"I worked every day for two hours for the last two years. It was my biggest challenge and I wanted to achieve this."
She does not wish to study history for her A levels.
She was graded a nine in arts, eight in drama, maths eight, Russian nine, got an eight in double science and an A* in English and English Literature.
"I wanted to take the exams, these are better than teacher-assessed grades because exams are more of a challenge. They allow you to prepare for nerve-racking situations in future life," she said.
"I am very glad we had exams as it allowed me to prove to myself that I am able to achieve the goals I set."
Culmination of two years' hard work
Alice Sullivan, a 16-year-old pupil at The British International School Abu Dhabi, achieved seven nines and two eights in her GCSEs.
She got nines in English language, mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, French and Spanish.
"I was really excited and was quite nervous beforehand. It was two years of preparation and I felt like it was the climax of all this work.
"In biology, I got a seven in the mock exam but I felt like I did a lot better this time and was not expecting to go up two grades.
"With my science subjects, I worked very hard doing my past papers to try and learn the proper way to answer the questions."
The pupil said she put in a lot of effort and went over a lot of content.
She said she worked hardest during exam season because she felt the pressure pushed her to do better.
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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Available: Now
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Specs
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Range: Up to 610km
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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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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
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Sector: Entertainment
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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