ABU DHABI // There are more than 5,000 Emirati students in Gems schools, and the number enrolling is rising at more than 30 per cent a year.
“The UAE national agenda is very close to our hearts and we will do all that we can to support the leadership’s vision, “ said Dino Varkey, chief operating officer of Gems Education.
“I am very proud that we are increasingly seen as the education provider of choice for Emirati students and their families.”
Mr Varkey said that in the past three years, the number of Emirati pupils is rising faster than any other nationality. There was also a growing number of Emirati teachers.
“We are working with Dubai Women’s College to implement student-teacher placements in our schools, offering the opportunity for permanent placements,” he said.
“We believe our partnership with the various regulatory bodies will accelerate this process.”
Mr Varkey belongs to a family of teachers. His grandparents, K S and Mariama Varkey, came to the UAE in 1959 and established the first Gems school in 1968 in Dubai.
His father, Sunny Varkey, added dozens of schools providing different kinds of international curriculum.
Now Mr Varkey is taking his family’s legacy forward. There are more than 42 Gems schools across the country.
He said that many pupils had gone on to achieve great things.
“Our alumni have gone on to compete for their countries in the Olympic Games, begun Bollywood careers, and are taking part in the UAE space programme,” Mr Varkey said.
He believes cultural diversity in his schools is a tremendous strength
Gems Education has more than 140,000 pupils from 173 nationalities and 13,000 education staff from 115 countries.
akhaishgi@thenational.ae
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United v Everton
Where: Old Trafford, Manchester
When: Sunday, kick-off 7pm (UAE)
How to watch: Live on BeIN Sports 11HD
Company%20profile
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Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Business Insights
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
