School pupils across the UAE who studied A-levels this year can attend their universities of choice after the British government reversed an exams-grading policy, which improved their results.
Under the original policy, British curriculum pupils, whose exams were cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, were awarded grades lower than those predicted by their teachers.
This led thousands to appeal after being denied the qualifications needed to get into their first-choice university.
The about-turn means pupils such as Nour Ahmed, of the British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi, can study medicine at Queen Mary University of London as she had hoped.
Her teachers predicted an A* in mathematics, an A in chemistry, and an in A in biology, but she was disappointed when she was awarded a B in chemistry and a C in biology.
“I did not get what I deserved. I have never stooped below B in biology and have always got an A or a B. I was really surprised,” said Ms Ahmed, 18, from Egypt.
She planned to appeal against the grades but now no longer needs to.
I'm extremely relieved. It was such a confusing process as there was not much information given on how the results would be calculated
“Our mock exams were like trials, and to be graded on those was very unfair, especially because, for a lot of people, the push is at the end.”
Ms Ahmed was excited to begin her undergraduate studies next month. She is hoping to specialise in orthopaedics.
The algorithm used to produce a pupil’s results was based on predicted grades from teachers, marks in other subjects, and the school’s historical performance. Their adjusted results were based solely on predicted grades.
Shruti Ananth, a British pupil at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, was dejected when she was awarded two As and a B, which were not enough for a place at St Andrews University in Scotland.
Teachers predicted an A* and two As. The change in policy means she now has the grades to be accepted to study economics.
“I’m extremely relieved. It was such a confusing process because there was not much information given on how the results would be calculated,” said Ms Ananth, 18.
“To open my results and find that it seemed completely unrelated to anything I had done was shocking and I didn’t get into university at first.”
She said many pupils could not get into their first-choice university when the results were announced.
“Now, it’s like a scramble for seats because we are all trying to contact our first-choice universities.
“If you take the exams, you know if you did well, but this year we had no idea what was going to happen."
Brendon Fulton, principal at Dubai British School Jumeirah Park, said he was pleased that pupils would receive the grades they deserved.
“There were some pupils at Dubai British School who had been disadvantaged through the algorithm applied by the exam boards, and so the decision to stick with assessed grades is very welcome news for them,” Mr Fulton said.
Pupils have officially received their revised A-level grades and will be able to confirm their university places.
On Monday, the International Baccalaureate programme said it would be adjusting results awarded this year for the diploma programme and career-related programme, using predicted grades and coursework.
As a result, almost a quarter (23.8 per cent) of IB subject grades have been changed worldwide.
Pupils whose final result had a disparity of one grade will have their internal assessment grade reinstated instead.
David Fitzgerald, senior vice president of education at Gems Education, said the improved IB results meant eight pupils at Gems schools achieved a perfect score of 45 this year.
“Gems IB schools around the world appreciated the grade adjustments made by the IB as a result of the recent review. Our schools have had their average scores, pass rates and individual subject grades increased as a result of the review,” he said.
Of the 295,000 private school pupils in Dubai, 109,894 children attend UK curriculum schools while 18,015 pupils attend IB schools. Across UAE, there are 51 IB World Schools.
Dr Allan Weston, principal at Greenfield International School, said pupils at his school had also gotten improved results following the review.
Over 70 per cent of diploma pupils and 60 per cent of career related pupils saw improved final results.
Overall for the Diploma, the school’s average score has risen to 34.07 and more than 56 per cent of pupils have scored 35 points or more.
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206-cylinder%203-litre%2C%20with%20petrol%20and%20diesel%20variants%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20286hp%20(petrol)%2C%20249hp%20(diesel)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E450Nm%20(petrol)%2C%20550Nm%20(diesel)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EStarting%20at%20%2469%2C800%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
more from Janine di Giovanni
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
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MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
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BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
'Project Power'
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback
Director: Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman
Rating: 3.5/5
