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United Arab Emirates
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United Arab Emirates
Student performance (PISA 2022)
  • In mathematics, the main topic of PISA 2022, 15-year-olds in score 431 points compared to an average of 472 points in OECD countries.
  • On average, 15-year-olds score 417 points in reading compared to an average of 476 points in OECD countries.
  • In United Arab Emirates, the average performance in science of 15-year-olds is 432 points, compared to an average of 485 points in OECD countries.
  • Average 2022 results were about the same as in 2018 in mathematics and science, and down compared to 2018 in reading.
  • Over the most recent period (2018 to 2022), the gap between the highest-scoring students (10% with the highest scores) and the weakest students (10% with the lowest scores) narrowed in mathematics, while it widened in reading and science. In mathematics, high-achievers became weaker, while performance did not change significantly amongst low-achievers.
  • In the United Arab Emirates, 51% of students attained at least Level 2 proficiency in mathematics, significantly less than on average across OECD countries (OECD average: 69%). At a minimum, these students can interpret and recognize, without direct instructions, how a simple situation can be represented mathematically.
  • Some 5% of students in the United Arab Emirates were top performers in mathematics, meaning that they attained Level 5 or 6 in the PISA mathematics test (OECD average: 9%).At these levels, students can model complex situations mathematically, and can select, compare and evaluate appropriate problem-solving strategies for dealing with them.
  • In the United Arab Emirates, 45% of students (the largest share) were in the top international quintile of the socio-economic scale, meaning that they were among the most advantaged students who took the PISA test in 2022. Their average score in mathematics was 458 score points. In Estonia and Japan, students of similar socio-economic background tend to score significantly higher.
  • Girls outperformed boys in mathematics by 7 score points and in reading by 45 score points in the United Arab Emirates. Globally, in mathematics, boys outperformed girls in 40 countries and economies, girls outperformed boys in another 17 countries or economies, and no significant difference was found in the remaining 24. In reading, girls, on average, scored above boys in all but two countries and economies that participated in PISA 2022 (79 out of 81).
  • In the United Arab Emirates, 65% of students reported that their school building was closed for more than three months due to COVID-19. On average across OECD countries, 51% of students experienced similarly long school closures. In education systems where performance remained high and students' sense of belonging improved, fewer students experienced longer school closures.
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    The following list displays indicators for which your selected country shows the highest and lowest values among countries. The list can be sorted by level of education or by age group. All rankings are calculated including available data from OECD and partner countries. Find out more about the methodology here.

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    Student performance in mathematics

    Boys outperform girls in mathematics performance with one of the largest score-point difference. (-7 PISA Score, rank 47/56 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The score difference in mathematics between the 10% of students with the highest scores and the 10% of students with the lowest scores is one of the largest among PISA-participating countries and economies. (264 PISA Score, rank 7/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student performance in reading

    The difference between girls and boys in reading performance is one of the smallest among PISA-participating countries and economies in favour of girls. (-45 PISA Score, rank 75/78 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The score difference in reading between the 10% of students with the highest scores and the 10% of students with the lowest scores is one of the largest among PISA-participating countries and economies. (328 PISA Score, rank 1/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Student performance in science

    The difference between girls and boys in science performance is one of the largest among PISA-participating countries and economies in favour of boys. (-17 PISA Score, rank 41/47 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The score difference in science between the 10% of students with the highest scores and the 10% of students with the lowest scores is one of the largest among PISA-participating countries and economies. (287 PISA Score, rank 2/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Participation in education

    United Arab Emirates registered one of the largest changes between 2018 and 2022 in the percentage of students who had repeated a grade at least once in primary, lower secondary or upper secondary school. (1.2 %, rank 6/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The difference in mathematics performance when there is a 10 percentage-points increase in the number of grade repeaters in the school is relatively small in United Arab Emirates. (-209 PISA Score points, rank 47/50 , 2022) Download Indicator

    School climate

    In United Arab Emirates has one of the widest difference between advantaged and disadvantaged students who reported that in the two weeks prior to the PISA test they had skipped at least one class or day of school, compared to the other OECD and partner countries/economies. (15.1 % points, rank 1/61 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates ranked among the countries with the smallest difference in mathematics performance between students arriving late for school at least once in the two weeks prior to the PISA test and those who didn't (after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile). (-31 PISA Score points, rank 65/70 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has a relatively small difference in mathematics performance between students having missed school for more than three consecutive months at least once at any education level and those who did not (before accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile). (-78 PISA Score points, rank 66/71 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has a relatively small difference in mathematics performance between students having missed school for more than three consecutive months at least once at any education level and those who did not (after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile). (-69 PISA Score points, rank 70/71 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Classroom environment

    United Arab Emirates has one of the largest share of students in schools that group students by abillity for all subjects. (41.1 %, rank 5/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Between 2018 and 2022, United Arab Emirates experienced one of the narrowest changes in the index of shortage of education staff. (-0.13 PISA Index, rank 32/35 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Students' engagement, drive and self-beliefs

    The time spent on homework per day in a typical school week in United Arab Emirates is long compared to the other OECD and partner countries/economies. (2 Hours, rank 6/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Bullying

    The difference in mathematics performance associated with a one-unit increase in the index of exposure to bullying is relatively small in United Arab Emirates, after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (-14 PISA Score points, rank 68/70 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Performance and socio-economic status

    Compared to the share advantaged low performers in maths, the share of disadvantaged low performers in maths is one of the lowest among countries and economies participating in PISA. (3.22 Ratio, rank 74/79 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United Arab Emirates, the variation between schools of the mathematics performance is among the largest, when compared to average total variation across OECD countries. (57 %, rank 6/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates is one of the countries where the relationship between reading performance and socio-economics status (ESCS) is the weakest. (4.2 %, rank 72/79 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The mean PISA index of economic, social and cultural status (ESCS) in United Arab Emirates is one of the higest among countries and economies participating in PISA. (0.3 PISA Index, rank 9/79 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has one of the smallest differences in mathematics score associated with repeating a grade among OECD and partner countries/economies, after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (-81 PISA Score points, rank 71/75 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Performance and diversity

    After accounting for socio-economic status, the difference in mathematics performance between non-immigrant and immigrant students is one of the largest among PISA-participating countries and economies, in favour of non-immigrants. (52 PISA Score, rank 2/30 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United Arab Emirates, the difference in mathematics performance between immigrant students who speak the language of assessment at home and immigrant students who do not is relatively low compared to the other OECD and partner countries. (-8 PISA Score, rank 16/17 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students with an immigrant backgroung is one of the highest among countries and economies participating in PISA. (52.9 %, rank 3/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 15 year-olds, the share of first generation immigrant students in United Arab Emirates is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (34.3 %, rank 2/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Among 15 year-olds, the share of second generation immigrant students in United Arab Emirates is one of the highest among OECD and partner countries with available data. (18.6 %, rank 4/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Resources for education

    United Arab Emirates ranked among the countries with the smallest difference in mathematics performance associated with principals reporting that the school's capacity to provide instruction is hindered to some extent or a lot by a lack of educational material, before accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (-45 PISA Score points, rank 42/42 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates ranked among the countries with the largest difference in mathematics performance associated with principals reporting that the school's capacity to provide instruction is hindered to some extent or a lot by a lack of educational material, after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (-19 PISA Score points, rank 9/9 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates ranked among the countries with the smallest difference in mathematics performance associated with principals reporting that the school's capacity to provide instruction is hindered to some extent or a lot by a lack of physical infrastructure, before accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (-39 PISA Score points, rank 44/44 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates ranked among the countries with the smallest difference in mathematics performance associated with principals reporting that the school's capacity to provide instruction is hindered to some extent or a lot by a lack of physical infrastructure, after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (-15 PISA Score points, rank 15/17 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The change between 2012 and 2022 in the number of computers per student at schoolin United Arab Emirates is large compared to the other OECD and partner countries. (0.27 Ratio, rank 8/40 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The share of students in schools whose principal reported that the use of cell phones is not allowed on the school premises is relatively high in United Arab Emirates. (77 %, rank 7/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has one of the largest differences in mathematics performance associated with a one-hour increase in the time spent per day on digital devices for learning at school, after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (2 PISA Score points, rank 9/60 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Teachers

    The share of teachers working part time in schools attended by 15-year-olds is one of the smallest among countries and economies participating in PISA 2018. (0.6 %, rank 77/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has one the smallest share of teachers fully certified by the appropriate authority, compared to other countries and economies participating in PISA 2018. (38.9 %, rank 71/75 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Before accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile, United Arab Emirates has one of the smallest differences in mathematics performance per 10 percentage-points increase in the share of teachers fully certified by the appropriate authority. (-9 PISA Score points, rank 27/28 , 2022) Download Indicator

    After accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile, United Arab Emirates has one of the smallest differences in mathematics performance per 10 percentage-points increase in the share of teachers fully certified by the appropriate authority. (-7 PISA Score points, rank 18/18 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Teachers' engagement, motivation and drive

    United Arab Emirates has one of the highest levels of preparedness for digital learning among OECD and partner countries/economies. (0.98 Ratio, rank 2/70 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Governance

    The percentage of students attending government or public schools is one of the lowest among PISA-participating countries and economies. (40 %, rank 73/78 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The percentage of students attending government-independent private schools is one of the highest among PISA-participating countries and economies. (58.8 %, rank 1/78 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United Arab Emirates, compared to attending a public school, the difference in mathematics performance associated with attendance at private schools is among the largest of the OECD and partner countries/economies, before accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (96 PISA Score points, rank 1/48 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United Arab Emirates, compared to attending a public school, the difference in mathematics performance associated with attendance at private schools is among the largest of the OECD and partner countries/economies, after accounting for students' and schools' socio-economic profile. (78 PISA Score points, rank 1/39 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has a relatively small difference in the index of preparedness for digital learning between private and public schools. (-0.15 PISA Index, rank 27/29 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United Arab Emirates, the educational leadership is particularly developed compared to the other OECD and partner countries/economies. (0.99 PISA Index, rank 3/75 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates has a relatively high percentage of students in schools whose principal reported that there are two or more other schools in this area that compete for these students. (81.1 %, rank 10/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Learning time

    United Arab Emirates has one of the longest learning time per week in regular language-of-instruction lessons. (28 Hours, rank 5/80 , 2022) Download Indicator

    COVID-19 effects on education

    United Arab Emirates is one of the OECD and partner countries/economies with the highest level of empathy, as measured by the PISA index of empathy. (0.11 PISA Index, rank 10/43 , 2022) Download Indicator

    In United Arab Emirates, the schools were relatively well prepared for remote instruction before the pandemic, compared to other OECD and partner countries/economies. (0.9 PISA Index, rank 1/77 , 2022) Download Indicator

    Compared to other OECD and partner countries/economies, students in United Arab Emirates had a relatively good experience with learning at home. (0.43 PISA Index, rank 7/71 , 2022) Download Indicator

    United Arab Emirates ranked among the countries where students reported a relatively strong feeling of confidence in their capacity for self-directed learning, compared to the other OECD and partner countries/economies. (0.3 PISA Index, rank 3/76 , 2022) Download Indicator

    The difference between advantaged and disadvantaged students in the confidence they have on their capacity to drive self-directed learning is one of the smallest among countries participating in PISA (0.24 PISA Index, rank 65/73 , 2022) Download Indicator


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    General findings
    
                            
    • Singapore scored significantly higher than all other countries/economies in mathematics (575 points) and, along with Hong Kong (China), Japan, Korea, Macao (China), and Chinese Taipei, outperformed all other countries and economies in mathematics. Another 17 countries also performed above the OECD average (472 points), ranging from Estonia (510 points) to New Zealand (479 points).
    • Boys outperformed girls in mathematics by nine score points and girls outperformed boys in reading by 24 score points on average across OECD countries. In science, the performance difference between boys and girls is not significant.
    • An average of 69% of students are at least basically proficient in mathematics in OECD countries. This means they are beginning to demonstrate the ability and initiative to use mathematics in simple real-life situations.
    • In 16 out of 81 countries/economies participating in PISA 2022, more than 10% of students attained Level 5 or 6 proficiency, meaning they are high-performing: they understand that a problem is quantitative in nature and can formulate complex mathematical models to solve it. By contrast, less than 5% of students are high-performing in 42 countries/economies.
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    • Singapore scored significantly higher than all other countries/economies in reading (543 points) and science (561 points). Behind Singapore, Ireland performed as well as Estonia, Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei while another 14 education systems performed above the OECD average in reading (476 points), ranging from Macao (China) (510 points) to Italy (482 points).
    • About three out of four students have achieved basic proficiency in reading in OECD countries.
    • In reading, an OECD average of 7% of students attained the highest proficiency levels of 5 or 6. In 13 countries/economies, more than 10% of students are top performers in reading.
    • No change in the OECD average over consecutive PISA assessments up to 2018 has ever exceeded five points in reading: in PISA 2022, however, the OECD average dropped by about 10 score points in reading compared to PISA 2018.. The unprecedented drops reading point to the shock effect of COVID-19 on most countries.
    • Only four countries and economies improved their performance between PISA 2018 and 2022 in all three subjects: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic and Chinese Taipei.
    • Trend analysis of PISA results reveals a decades-long decline that began well before the pandemic. In reading, performances peaked in 2012 and 2009, respectively, before dipping while performance began a downward descent in mathematics before 2018 in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Slovak Republic and Switzerland.
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    • Mean performance in science remained stable.
    • In science, the highest-performing education systems are Singapore, Japan, Macao (China), Chinese Taipei, Korea, Estonia, Hong Kong (China) and Canada. Finland performed as well as Canada in science. In addition to these nine countries and economies, another 15 education systems also performed above the OECD average in science (485 points), ranging from Australia (507 points) to Belgium (491 points).
    • About three out of four students have achieved basic proficiency science in OECD countries.
    • In science, an OECD average of 7% of students attained the highest proficiency levels of 5 or 6. In 14 countries/economies, more than 10% of students are top performers in science.
    • Only four countries and economies improved their performance between PISA 2018 and 2022 in all three subjects: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic and Chinese Taipei.
    • Trend analysis of PISA results reveals a decades-long decline that began well before the pandemic. In science, performances peaked in 2012 and 2009, respectively, before dipping. while performance began a downward descent in mathematics before 2018 in Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Slovak Republic and Switzerland.
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    • Socio-economically advantaged students scored 93 points more in mathematics than disadvantaged students on average across OECD countries. The performance gap attributed to students' socio-economic status is greater than 93 score points in 22 countries or economies and 50 points or fewer in 13 countries or economies.
    • Boys outperformed girls in mathematics by nine score points and girls outperformed boys in reading by 24 score points on average across OECD countries. In science, the performance difference between boys and girls is not significant.
    • Non-immigrant students scored 29 points more than immigrant students in mathematics on average across OECD countries but non-immigrant students scored only five points more than immigrant students once socio-economic status and language spoken at home had been accounted for.
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    • Between 2018 and 2022 trends in students' sense of belonging at school were mixed, with equal proportions of countries/economies showing stable, improving or deteriorating trends. Of the 47 education systems with improving or stable trends, only 20 maintained or attained a level of students' sense of belonging at school that was at or above the OECD average. 
    • Around 10% of students reported feeling unsafe on their way to or from school, or in places outside of the classroom, on average across OECD countries. Some 20% of students reported that they are bullied at least a few times a month.
    • Overall, students felt more confident about using digital technology for learning remotely during future school closures than they felt about taking responsibility for their own learning. For instance, on average across OECD countries, about three out of four students reported that they feel confident or very confident about using a learning-management system, a school learning platform or a video communication program, as well as about finding learning resources online on their own.
    • Students' experience with learning at home was more positive in systems that were better prepared for remote learning. However, when learning remotely, 40% of all students reported feeling lonely and 50% of all students reported feeling anxious about schoolwork and that they fell behind in their studies; and three in ten students reported that teachers were not available when needed, on average across OECD countries. 
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    • Singapore, Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Estonia and Finland are the highest-performing systems in creative thinking, significantly above the OECD average. Students in Singapore score 41 points on average in creative thinking.
    • There is a large performance gap in creative thinking between the highest-performing and lowest-performing country of 28 score points – or around four proficiency levels. 97 out of 100 students in the five best-performing countries performed above the average student in the five lowest performing countries.
    • Academic excellence is not a pre-requisite for excellence in creative thinking. While around half of all students who performed at the highest level in creative thinking performed at the highest level in mathematics, similar proportions of students within the third quintile of creative thinking performance scored within the second, third and fourth quintiles, respectively, in mathematics. However, very few students below a baseline proficiency in mathematics excelled in creative thinking.
    • In no country or economy did boys outperform girls in creative thinking, with girls scoring 3 points higher in creative thinking on average across the OECD. The gender gap is significant in all countries/economies after accounting for mathematics performance and in around half of all countries/economies even after accounting for students’ reading performance.
    • Students with higher socio-economic status performed better in creative thinking, with advantaged students scoring around 9.5 points higher than their disadvantaged peers on average across the OECD. In general, the strength of the association between socio-economic status and performance is weaker in creative thinking than it is for mathematics, reading and science.
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    Key
    Diagram of funding flows - United Arab Emirates

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    Key
    Country Reviews for United Arab Emirates

    Note: These values should be interpreted with care since they are influenced by countries' specific contexts and trade-offs. In education, there is often no simple most- or least-efficient model. For instance, the share of private expenditure in education must be read against other measures designed to mitigate inequities, such as loans and grants; longer learning time is an opportunity to convey more and better content to students, but may hinder investments in other important areas. If you want further information on the nature of different variables, please take the time to read the analysis and contextual information, available at the website for each publication.
    All rankings for individual variables are compiled on the basis of OECD and G20 countries for which data are available. The OECD average includes only OECD countries which are listed here: http://www.oecd.org/about/membersandpartners/

    Reference years displayed in the Education GPS correspond to the most common year of reference among countries for which data is available on each variable. Data for the latest available year is preferred and some countries may have provided data refering to a more recent or late year. To know more about possible exceptions on data please click on the "Download Indicator" link on each variable. When a year of reference corresponds to a school year encompassing two years, the reference reads as follows: 2018 for school year 2017/2018.

    *TALIS averages are based on all countries participating in the TALIS survey, including partner countries and economies. This explains the difference between the OECD average and the TALIS averages. Data from the TALIS survey and Education at a Glance (EAG) may differ. See Annex E of the TALIS technical report and Annex 3 of EAG 2021 for more details about the data collections.

    B-S-J-Z (China) refers to the four PISA-participating provinces/municipalities of the People's Republic of China: Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

    For additional notes, please refer to annexes in the list of links below the introductory country profile text.