IN RAS AL KHAIMAH, EVERY STUDENT BELONGS

When many systems struggle to embrace difference, the emirate makes diversity a strength, and inclusion a habit

- BY DR ABDULRAHMAN AL NAQBI | Special to Gulf News

The recent start of the academic year has offered a moment to reflect on the continued evolution of Ras Al Khaimah's education system.

The latest cohort of graduates highlight the rich diversity that defines Ras Al Khaimah, with students from a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities learning side by side in the northernmost emirate of the United Arab Emirates.

This diversity is not incidental but central to our approach to education. Ras Al Khaimah Department of Knowledge oversees a network of 35 private schools serving a student body where expatriates outnumber Emiratis by three to one. It is for this reason that the theme of our 2025 Festival of Learning "Together We Thrive" felt especially apt.

The festival brought together 89 projects from private schools across the emirate, each highlighting innovations in five key areas: inclusion, compliance, wellbeing, learning environment, and innovation. The festival fostered inclusivity and collaboration as school principals spoke about the changes taking place within their organisations and highlighted how important parents have been in enhancing their approach to policy development. Other schools mentioned how their own student body contributed to initiatives, in one such example a group of students volunteered to launch a cultural awareness week to celebrate the varied background of their peers.