Dubai School of Government (DSG) recently hosted a taskforce meeting to examine issues surrounding Emirati students dropping out of school in Dubai.

The meeting built on the observations provided at a consultation with all Dubai government high school principals held earlier at DSG.

Focusing on how to detect and prevent Emirati youth from dropping out of school, the taskforce comprised representatives from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai School of Government, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Social Affairs, Community Development Authority and Dubai Police.

KHDA representatives presented data, reports and findings into the causes and effects of early school leaving among a significant proportion of Emiratis. Recent data, which showed that 22 per cent of male and 14 per cent of female Emiratis in Dubai aged 20 to 24 had dropped out of school prior to completion, was also shared with the taskforce.

The taskforce recommended that a focus group be established to research in more depth the reasons why many male students leave school in Grade 10, where the highest incidence of dropping out occurs, as well as exploring additional factors that may result in early school leaving, such as the background of families and the particular issues students face.

Other ministries, governmental authorities and departments will be invited to participate in future taskforce meetings to ensure that a holistic view of the current situation is obtained. Research into the drop-out rates in other countries will also be reviewed and their experiences and recommendations will be added to the findings of the focus group.

“The focus group needs to look for solutions that are practical and easily implemented, so results can be seen sooner rather than later,” said Essa Al Mulla, executive director for Workforce National Development of KHDA.

“The lack of a strong education system is acknowledged as one of the most significant challenges faced by the Arab world – a fact that is validated by the alarming rate of high school drop-outs in our societies,” added Dr Tarik Yousef, dean of the Dubai School of Government.-TradeArabia News Service