Marginalization in Education in Ras Al Khaimah

This policy paper discusses marginalization in education within the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using a combination of publicly available data, PISA results, and data from schools and the Ministry of Education (MOE), we have identified some of the key marginalization factors within our local context. In essence, these marginalization factors are driven by issues related to geography, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES). We find that the current education sector is geared toward female students and families who can afford medium to high-fee private education in urban centers while neglecting male students and those living in rural areas from lower SES backgrounds. Additionally, we find a general lack of available data on marginalized and at-risk groups across the UAE, which creates issues for evidence-based policymaking. Our recommendations include reducing public-school fees for low-income expatriates; incentivizing a greater variety of private schools to open in rural areas at various price points; developing additional and targeted educational programming for the most at-risk groups; and the sharing of comprehensive data on at-risk student performance, with a particular focus on boys and students from low-income families.