Eco-friendly UAE schools are stepping up efforts to ditch single-use plastics, ahead of nationwide bans being brought into force.
The government announced this month that plastic bags of any material or composition will be outlawed from January 1 next year.
From January 1, 2026, it will be prohibited to import plastic cutlery, drinks cups, styrofoam and boxes.
From making and distributing jute bags for shopping, to bringing aluminium lunchboxes or even selling organic home-grown produce, pupils are making a head start in saying no to plastic.
This week, The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai made a pledge to eliminate all single-use plastic by the end of the year.
Gems Legacy School banned single-use plastic in 2021 while one school launched a no-plastic zone a decade ago.
Schools go green
Schools have introduced hydroponic activities, which allow children to grow herbs that can used at their canteens.
Pupils at Gems Legacy School are busy constructing a giant whale made of plastic bottle caps, which will be showcased on a beach in Dubai in February to educate the public about the effects of plastic on marine life.
The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai has partnered with Avani, a sustainable packaging company that will help the school to replace plastic products with alternative bio-based solutions.
Each class has an eco ambassador and at the end of last year the school launched its hydroponics activity to give Year 7 pupils the chance to grow their own salad and herbs, with the produce now being used in school lunches, the canteen and parent cafe.
Pupils eager to save the planet
“Our pledge to eliminate all single-use plastics by the end of 2023 is a drive that has come from the pupils themselves through the school’s Eco Ambassador team," said Clare Turnbull, principal at The Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai.
“Introducing hydroponics was a fantastic way to give our pupils the chance to discover how their food is grown and to understand the future of tech farming first-hand.
"Our school’s hydroponics system lets the pupils observe the entire lifecycle of a plant right before their eyes and understand the diversity of the produce they eat."
An environmental legacy
Gems Legacy School in Dubai has embedded climate literacy in their curriculum.
Asha Alexander, executive leader for climate change at Gems Education and principal of Gems Legacy School in Dubai, said she was hoping 41 Gems Education schools would eliminate single-use plastic within 2023.
“We've already begun this in various stages and we do audits to find out where they are at but the messaging and the promotions and the awareness campaigns and educating teachers has already started and is continuing," said Ms Alexander.
“Our pupils carried out a campaign on Twitter requesting Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai to ban single-use plastic way ahead of this announcement.
“We don't have plastic at our schools and we don't encourage the use of plastic bottles, and we ensure that there's no plastic being used in the canteens."
So far, 2,000 teachers at Gems Education schools have become UN Climate Change-certified, but Ms Alexander is working to get all 17,000 teachers in the group attested.
Pupils at the school designed jute bags which parents could use while going shopping.
“There are things which the government has to mandate but people cannot sit down waiting for government mandates to come through. We all have are responsible for our own behaviour and that's what we're teaching children," said Ms Alexander.
Taking steps to save the planet could be as simple as saying no to cutlery or plastic straws when ordering food.
Pupils at the school decided to move away from plastic lunchboxes and began bringing meals in boxes made out of aluminium.
A plastic-free zone
Rashmi Nandkeolyar, principal of Delhi Private School Dubai, in Jebel Ali, said their school was the first in the region to have a ‘no-plastic zone’ by introducing jute bags for the distribution of books and uniforms.
Jute bags have replaced plastic at the school since 2013.
“We took the initiative a step forward in 2018 by launching the ‘We Project’, which aimed to upcycle old uniforms and bedsheets into eco-friendly bags. Within 6 months, 15,000 bags were stitched as part of the collaborative endeavor by students, parents, teachers and ancillary staff," said Ms Nandkeolyar.
“Being a member of the Global Schools Programme, we have integrated the Sustainable Development Goals into our curriculum, to promote climate action through an array of campaigns ranging from ‘Simply Bottles’, a desert clean-up drive, to ‘Green Call’, an e-waste collection project."
Pupils at the school have set up a vertical garden, which uses plastic bottles as pots and beds for growing plants.
The school has a "Trash to Treasure" activity, where pupils create crafts out of recycled waste material, and a "Nature’s Bounty" programme where children get hands-on experience in entrepreneurship and financial management by selling organic produce created by them.
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
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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
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
Company%20profile
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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
Anna and the Apocalypse
Director: John McPhail
Starring: Ella Hunt, Malcolm Cumming, Mark Benton
Three stars
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
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
