New School Rule: UAE National Anthem Daily

Students will have to polish their Arabic language skills after the Ministry of Education asked all public and private schools in the United Arab Emirates to sing the national anthem every morning.

By Afshan Ahmed

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Published: Wed 2 Sep 2009, 1:19 AM

Last updated: Tue 15 Nov 2022, 9:31 AM

All schools, including international, will have to fly the UAE national flag and sing the national anthem to mark the beginning of school activities, according to a circular issued by Humaid Al Qattami, the Minister of Education.

Almost all schools in the UAE fly the national flag but the anthem is only sung during special occasions in many international schools.


The decision to make it mandatory in all schools this year comes as an initiative to boost students sense of identity and instil the spirit of nationalism and patriotism, according to Wam.

It is in line with the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.


“The decision will apply to all schools and we are working on the details on how this will be implemented,”
Qattami told Khaleej Times.

One school principal, who did not want to be named, wondered how the new rule would work. “International schools have students from various nationalities, so for them to sing the national anthem every morning is a bit far fetched.

“However, the schoolchildren sing the national anthem on all special occasions,” he said.

All education zones and councils in the country have been urged to take the necessary measures to enforce the decision in schools for the new academic year.

GEMS and Taaleem officials said that their schools fly the national flag now but at some, the national anthem is not sung every day, just at special
ceremonies. — With inputs from Wam

afshan@khaleejtimes.ae


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