UAE | Education

In depth: Sorry, I don't speak Arabic

Over 382,000 students study Arabic in private schools every year in the UAE. The subject is mandatory between grades 1 and 10. However, very few pupils leave with the ability to converse fluently in the language of the region, let alone be able to read or write it.

  • By Abbas Al Lawati and Siham Al Najami, Staff Reporters
  • Published: 23:54 March 20, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Many Emiratis live in the UAE their entire lives but struggle to learn Arabic.
  • Image Credit: Illustration: Luis Vazquez/Gulf News

Dubai: Over 382,000 students study Arabic in private schools every year in the UAE. The subject is mandatory between grades 1 and 10. However, very few pupils leave with the ability to converse fluently in the language of the region, let alone be able to read or write it. Gulf News reporters Abbas Al Lawati and Siham Al Najami look into what has gone wrong.

Hassa Mohammad says she doesn't feel very Emirati. She was raised in Dubai and went to school here but she cannot speak much Arabic; a fact she attributes to her disconnection from Emirati identity and culture.

Many Emiratis live in the UAE their entire lives but struggle to learn Arabic. They say they regret having to enter wider society and the job market not knowing their native language. Such cases often come from graduates of private international schools.

Born in the UK to an Emirati father and a British mother, Hassa speaks primarily in English at home and in school.

Lack of conversations

"I had to quit my job recently because most of my work was in Arabic," said the 22-year-old, who admits she prefers to converse in English.

"I understand Arabic but I avoid speaking it because I don't want to make mistakes," she said, adding that sometimes she is looked down upon by Arabs when she tells them she does not speak Arabic.

Ruqaiya Yousuf, 21, is half American and speaks only English at home. She went to a private girls' school whose student body consisted predominantly of Emiratis.

Ruqaiya attributes her weak Arabic to her school's attitude towards the language. "It was made pretty easy and basic for us. I used to get borderline grades in Arabic; if it was any tougher I would have flunked," she said. Samia Sajwani blames the problem on a lack of Arabic conversation at home.

"Schools do help us learn Arabic. But if the student doesn't speak it at home or with friends, it's very difficult for anyone to study it in school," said the Emirati national.

Hussain Bin Mansour attended a private school in Dubai and knows how to read and write Arabic.

He admits, however, that he struggles to hold a conversation in his native tongue.

"I know I'll face problems when I enter the job market. Maybe I'll try to learn it again," he said.

People say

Sami Osman, 22, Palestine, (Went to a British curriculum school)
"We never took Arabic very seriously and personally I didn't have much interest in learning it. But now I occasionally visit ministries I have realised that having a limited vocabulary has had an adverse affect on my communication skills."

Abdullah Julfar, 20, UAE national (Went to an Arabic school)
"I graduated from a private Arabic school and consider myself fluent in specific areas of the language and semi-fluent in English. I find some graduates from public schools have little knowledge of English but excel after taking intensive courses. Those students are very fluent in Arabic and are picking up English really fast. Fluency in these languages opens good job opportunities in both the private and public sector."

Niki Shah, 23 (Went to an Indian curriculum school)
"Frankly speaking no one was interested in Arabic. We just studied it to pass the exam as we only had to memorise stories in the textbook. But at this point of my life I am interested in the language as it will help me in my job as an administrator."

Asad Ajmal, 23, Pakistan(Went to a British curriculum school)
"It was not seriously imposed by the school and no one really considered learning it. Back then we didn't realise its importance in our daily lives."

Facts: About Arabic

  • Second most spoken language, with around 420 million speakers
  • One of the six official languages of the United Nations
  • Was the international language of science, math and philosophy for more than 500 years
  • Language of the Quran, the holy book of 1.2 billion Muslims
  • English, Spanish and Turkish languages use several loanwords from Arabic
  • The basic scale in music today comes from Arabic syllables do, re, mi, fa, sol, la and ti. The Arabic alphabet for these notes is Dal-Ra-Mim-Fa-Sad-Lam-Sin.

At school

- The number of required classes for Arab students (as per the Education Law set by Ministry of Education)

  • Grades 1-3 6 classes per week
  • Grades 4-6 5 classes per week
  • Grades 7-12 4 classes per week
  • Non Arab students are required to take four classes per week throughout grades 1 to 10.

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