Pupils in the UAE are celebrating after this year's GCSE results were released on Thursday morning.
Their stellar performances were all the more remarkable given that fewer top grades were handed out globally as the exams returned to a tougher, pre-coronavirus model of grading.
The National spoke to staff and pupils from schools all across the Emirates who were over the moon at their performance.
More than 20 per cent of pupils at Brighton College Dubai received the highest result possible, Grade 9, bucking the global trend of a reduction in top marks.
“I am incredibly proud of the achievements of our GCSE cohort who have exceeded their targets,” headmaster Simon Crane said.
“I would like to thank our dedicated staff, pastoral support team and parents who have gone above and beyond in providing pupils with excellent teaching, support and subject knowledge. My warmest congratulations to our excellent pupils and staff on these fantastic achievements.
“As well as being academically dedicated, our pupils have been involved in all other aspects of school life, including taking on well-being initiatives, sports and leadership positions.”
The highest performer was the school's chess champion and cricketer, Henry Fliss.
“I got eight Grade 9s and one 8, and I’m especially proud of my Further Maths and History grades,” he said.
“I worked hard for them, having been doing four-hour revision sessions for History on Fridays, and doing every extra paper for Further Maths that has been available.
“The teachers helped me a lot and I'm so glad my hard work has paid off.”
More than three quarters of entries at the school were awarded Grade 6 to Grade 9, which is classed as outstanding, according to the KHDA framework.
Exam success
Pupils at Dubai British School Jumeirah Park enjoyed a 100 per cent pass rate in this year's exams.
“On average, our students achieved over one grade higher than predicted against their target grade, which is a testament to their hard work and determination,” said head teacher Rebecca Coulter.
“We have seen a significant increase in the number of Grade 9s awarded this year, compared to previous years, and we are delighted that over 30 per cent of our students have achieved the highest grades in their subjects.”
Also celebrating success on Thursday morning was the British School Al Khubairat (BSAK).
About one in five pupils there obtained a Grade 9 score, while just under 40 per cent of all exams taken were awarded Grade 8 or Grade 9.
“I am incredibly proud of their achievements and they deserve their success and more,” said Nigel Davis, head of secondary at the school.
“Thanks must be given to our outstanding teaching staff, our parents and the wider community for the way they have supported the students.”
Pupils at the school were only too happy to talk to The National about their performances in this year’s exams.
“I'm very, very grateful to my teachers who have given me consistent support and I'm also very thankful to my parents for being there for me during all the ups and downs,” said Maya Telang.
“I plan to study Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics at A Level with the possibility of also pursuing my favourite subject, which is Further Maths.”
Her schoolmate Kyle Glatley was also celebrating success on Thursday morning.
“I got eight Grade 9s and one Grade 8. I’m very happy,” he said.
“There was a lot of hard work behind the scenes but it was well worth it in the end.”
Making the grade
The overall number of pupils who obtained a Grade 9 increased to 16 per cent this year, from 9 per cent last year.
More than 3,600 pupils from 23 Gems schools in the UAE and Qatar sat more than 24,000 GCSEs/IGCSEs this year.
In the Gems network of schools, 7 per cent of all pupils obtained the highest mark possible, Grade 9.
“Today’s GCSE results round off what has undoubtedly been an excellent school exam season over the summer, despite the various challenges that all schools and pupils across the globe have had to navigate,” said Dr Saima Rana, chief education officer with Gems Education.
“We are incredibly proud of everything our students and teachers have accomplished and look forward to further success to come.”
At Gems Cambridge International Private School Sharjah, 17 per cent achieved Grade 9 results in the school's first GCSE group.
“These are our first ever GCSE results and they demonstrate the hard work of our students and staff, not only over the last two years, but also all the way back to when the students first joined our school,” said Albie Huyser, principal and chief executive.
“Our academic and pastoral support and guidance ensured that our students were fully prepared and are now able to take the next steps in their lives, whether that be further education, apprenticeships or employment.”
One of the school's pupils who received nine Grade 9 results said she felt relieved at her performance in this year's exams.
“I feel very grateful and thankful for my teachers and parents, and everyone who supported me and very excited and relieved to get these results,” said 15-year-old Snehal Thakkar.
According to her mother Vijaylaymi Thakkar, Snehal “gave up her mobile phone and stopped all entertainment” as she prepared for her exams.
Pupils at Bateen World Academy, Abu Dhabi, achieved an overall pass rate of 88 per cent, with 14 per cent achieving the prestigious Grade 9 result.
“We are immensely proud to announce the exceptional GCSE results achieved by our students,” said Neal Dilk, head teacher of Bateen World Academy.
“Their unwavering dedication and commitment to academic excellence have yielded outstanding outcomes that reflect both their individual efforts and the supportive environment fostered within our institution.
“These remarkable results not only showcase their hard work, but also inspire us as educators to continue nurturing and empowering the next generation of achievers."
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdam%20Wingard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBrian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Rebecca%20Hall%2C%20Dan%20Stevens%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
CREW
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERajesh%20A%20Krishnan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETabu%2C%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Khan%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
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
Two-step truce
The UN-brokered ceasefire deal for Hodeidah will be implemented in two stages, with the first to be completed before the New Year begins, according to the Arab Coalition supporting the Yemeni government.
By midnight on December 31, the Houthi rebels will have to withdraw from the ports of Hodeidah, Ras Issa and Al Saqef, coalition officials told The National.
The second stage will be the complete withdrawal of all pro-government forces and rebels from Hodeidah city, to be completed by midnight on January 7.
The process is to be overseen by a Redeployment Co-ordination Committee (RCC) comprising UN monitors and representatives of the government and the rebels.
The agreement also calls the deployment of UN-supervised neutral forces in the city and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure distribution of aid across the country.
The%20Crown%20season%205
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EImelda%20Staunton%2C%20Jonathan%20Pryce%2C%20Lesley%20Manville%2C%20Jonny%20Lee%20Miller%2C%20Dominic%20West%2C%20Elizabeth%20Debicki%2C%20Salim%20Daw%20and%20Khalid%20Abdalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWritten%20by%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPeter%20Morgan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%20stars%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Stage 2 results
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 04:18:18
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:02
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:04
4 Diego Ulissi (ITA) UAE Team Emirates
5 Rick Zabel (GER) Israel Start-Up Nation
General Classification
1 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 07:47:19
2 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep 00:00:12
3 Arnaud Demare (FRA) Groupama-FDJ 00:00:16
4 Nikolai Cherkasov (RUS) Gazprom-Rusvelo 00:00:17
5 Alexey Lutsensko (KAZ) Astana Pro Team 00:00:19
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
%3Cp%3EApril%2021-23%3A%20Imola%3Cbr%3EMay%205-7%3A%20Misano%3Cbr%3EMay%2026-28%3A%20SPA-Francorchamps%3Cbr%3EJune%2023-25%3A%20Monza%3Cbr%3EJuly%2021-23%3A%20Paul%20Ricard%3Cbr%3ESept%2029-Oct%201%3A%20Mugello%3Cbr%3EOct%2013-15%3A%20Vallelunga%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
2019 ASIA CUP POTS
Pot 1
UAE, Iran, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia
Pot 2
China, Syria, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Qatar, Thailand
Pot 3
Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Palestine, Oman, India, Vietnam
Pot 4
North Korea, Philippines, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Turkmenistan
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
