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Dubai: Mobile phones to be banned in classrooms at Emirates International School
The decision comes two days before the start of the new academic year on Monday
- PUBLISHED: Sat 23 Aug 2025, 11:07 AM UPDATED: Sun 24 Aug 2025, 9:11 PM
Dubai's Emirates International School (EIS) has decided to ban the use of mobile phones in classrooms, the owner and UAE billionaire Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor said on Saturday.
In a video on his X account, Al Habtour said that the decision, which comes two days before the start of the new academic year on Monday, aims at ensuring "a more focused and disciplined educational environment”.
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"Students will have to hand over their phones to the management or not bring them to school. This (use of mobile phones) will not be allowed at all until they finish their classes, then get them back," he added.
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Schools in the UAE have strict yet varied policies regarding the use of mobile phones by students, ranging from complete bans to restrictions.
Public schools prohibit students from bringing mobile phones to school to protect their safety, privacy, and to promote positive behaviour. A second violation will result in the phone being held until the end of the school year. Some private schools in the country also follow this practice where phones may be seized from students after a few warnings.
"I call upon all schools in the country to follow the example of Emirates International School, as we are all partners in building a generation that knows how to balance technology and values, and knowledge and identity. For education is a trust and a responsibility," Al Habtoor said.
Emirates International School has two branches in Dubai, one in Jumeirah and the other in Meadows, as per its website. EIS-Jumeirah was established in 1991 as a community service of Al Habtoor Group, for which Al Habtoor is the Founding Chairman.
'Preserving identity'
In his video address, Al Habtoor also stated that the school has decided to promote the Arabic language by "giving it the importance it deserves in the daily curriculum, affirming its role in preserving identity and belonging".
This decision by EIS comes in line with several changes announced lately by the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) for this academic year.
The amendments include dedicating more teaching time to Arabic and Islamic education, particularly for kindergarten and Cycle 1 students.
Moreover, Grade 1 students across 100 schools will take an Arabic baseline assessment to guide tailored support programmes.
Earlier this year, Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has introduced a new policy aimed at enhancing Arabic language education in early childhood education.
The new policy mandates Arabic language education for children from birth to six years at all private schools and early childhood centres in Dubai.
Yasmin Hussein is an Assistant Digital Editor who believes that every news story carries a human element. Her motto is 'get it first, but first get it right'.