What 500 UAE school toppers will be up to this summer

Top performing students in Abu Dhabi have been selected to fly off to Australia, Ireland, UK, US and Canada for a five-week Summer Abroad Programme starting July 18.

In its tenth year, the programme is aimed at helping students learn English and leadership skills. The programme was first introduced in 2006, when 60 students were sent to Australia.

This year, 500 students from Grade 10 and 11 have been selected, who will travel to five different countries. Of the group, 395 are boys, and 105 are girls. Boys will stay with host families, while the girls will be put up in the university campus.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) held orientation sessions for the students. “The programme will give our students a chance to be self-dependent, allow them to enhance their English language, leadership skills, closely interact with other cultures and explore various educational opportunities,” said Ahmad Al-Shamsi, ADEC’s General Services Division Manager and the Project Manager.

“Among the criteria governing the selection of top students was academic performance, i.e., scoring 85 per cent or more, their behaviour at school and participation in extracurricular activities.”

“The number of students enrolled in the programme since its launch in 2006 until 2014 has reached 4,160 students in Abu Dhabi.”

Workshops were held in Al Ain and Abu Dubai to introduce students to their destinations, training programme, accommodation, excursions, hosting families in addition to their obligations and responsibilities while abroad.

The chaperons accompanying the students act as a link between Adec and students, and will report on student progress through Adec's portal on weekly basis.
 

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