Two of Dubai's oldest schools, which were attended by royalty, have been closed temporarily for upgrades.
Rashid School for Boys and Latifa School for Girls will be developed under directives from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, is a former pupil of Rashid School.
Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, graduated from Latifa School.
The development plans, which will be implemented from July 2021, will improve the schools' facilities and increase their capacity.
Latifa School, which opened in 1982, offers the British curriculum and the Arabic and Islamic curriculum approved by the UAE Ministry of Education.
Rashid School, established in 1986, was a secondary school until 2003 when it opened an elementary section.
"The plans focus on providing the schools with all the facilities needed to enhance the educational experience," said Dr Ahmed Al Falasi, chairman of the board of the Rashid and Latifa Schools Establishment.
"Implementing the development plans requires a complete shutdown of both institutions to ensure the safety of pupils and faculty."
Pupils will be enrolled at other schools in co-ordination with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai's private school operators.
Both schools will resume operations in September 2023.
