Dubai: The second cycle of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Distinguished Students Programme is now accepting applications from Emirati families for enrolment in private schools in Dubai rated ‘good’ or higher.
Registration for the programme is open till April 21 via the website of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (https://www.khda.gov.ae/en/mbrscholarship). Selected students will start classes from the new academic year in September.
The eligibility criteria for the programme says the student must be a UAE national from the emirate of Dubai (with ‘family book’). The pupil can be a new enrolment or currently studying at a public or private school. He or she must pass the entrance tests and interviews conducted by the evaluation committee in the school, as a final step in the registration process.
The programme, said to be the first of its kind in the UAE, is being rolled out by the KHDA in partnership with the Knowledge Fund and private school operators.
Fatima Al Merri, CEO of Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), said: “We aspire to provide Emirati students with high quality education and give them access to the best schools in Dubai. These efforts reflect the commitment of our wise leadership to support the educational needs of Emirati families.”
She added: “Once a student is registered to participate in the programme, we will review their eligibility in accordance with the set criteria and application details. Selected students will be notified and informed of their school choice availability at a later stage.”
Last year, the programme received more than 550 applications from Emirati students to study in various grades. A total of 236 students successfully met the programme eligibility guidelines and are studying in schools rated ‘good’ or better in Dubai.
