Mohammed Al Shamsi is at an age when many take their first foray into formal employment.
The 14-year-old is looking forward to the day he earns his first pay cheque but he will have to wait. In the UAE, where employment is connected to a sponsorship system, part-time work for pupils is almost unheard of.
This is about to change. On Saturday, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation issued a decree allowing school pupils aged 15 and above to work paid part-time jobs. With permission from a guardian, pupils will be able to work up to three months at a time during school holidays.
For teenagers like Mohammed, this is welcomed news. “Honestly, I can’t wait to get started,” said the year 10 pupil. “I want to finally earn money so I can feel a lot more pride when spending it, as well as help my parents like they helped me all these years.”
While young people in Gulf states like Oman and Saudi Arabia may begin work in their teens and take service sector jobs, children raised in the UAE often do not enter the workforce until they complete their studies in their early twenties.
The new policy will benefit both pupils and employers, said recruiters.
“We’ve done a lot of research on this recently and what we find is both university and high school students continue to say they’re not prepared for the workplace,” said Radikha Punshi, the managing director at HR consultancy The Talent Enterprise. “For employers it allows them to connect a bit more to the education sector, so it’s long overdue.”
The decree is expected to boost Emiratisation and allow pupils to find a suitable career.
“The more exposure they have as early as possible, the more realistic they’re going to become and the more mindful they’re going to be about their studies,” said Hamza Zaouali, the head of Iris Executives, a recruiter specialising in Emiratisation. “The challenge with the school system is that we ask pupils to make lifetime choices without the experience to make these choices. This law means that they are going to have tools to make better decisions.”
However, recruiters cautioned that it will take time for the resolution to have an impact in the employment market.
“There’s currently a bit of an oversupply of experienced talent,” said Mohammed Osama, the general manager of The Gulf Recruitment Group. “You do have a lot of graduates, a lot of 20 or 22-year-olds who have already graduated with a bachelor’s degree who are willing to work part time just to get any work.
“It’s a good initiative, it should be there and will hopefully be beneficial when things pick up.”
Employers may be reluctant to invest resources in short term employees but could provide pre-placement offers so they can benefit, said Ms Punshi. She said the new policy will prepare the workforce for the hundreds of part-time positions needed at Dubai Expo 2020.
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Read more:
Let failing Emirati pupils fail so they may eventually succeed, say education experts
Youth welcome chance to work
Editorial: Early taste of working life has benefits
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Mohammed, who receives a monthly allowance of Dh1,000, said he would work for as little as Dh10 an hour in at a fast-food restaurant or as a sales clerk. “I am all for anything that will make me learn more,” he said. “I want to gain the experience, I would also get money and I think it will teach me how to better myself.”
Others were less sure. “I don’t think I would because I would rather focus on my education,” said Mohammed Alsemaan, a 15-year-old at Al Raha School who receives a monthly allowance of Dh1,000. “I need time more than money."
Experience, however, can be priceless.
“The fact that it’s not compulsory means it immediately gives a head start to the students with the best attitude,” said Mr Zaouali. “It gives the tools for the most mature people to really set the pace.”
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Autumn international scores
Saturday, November 24
Italy 3-66 New Zealand
Scotland 14-9 Argentina
England 37-18 Australia
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
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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
Profile
Co-founders of the company: Vilhelm Hedberg and Ravi Bhusari
Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.
Number of employees: Over 50
Financing stage: Series B currently being finalised
Investors: Series A - Audacia Capital
Sector of operation: Transport
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
