UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Marks World Teachers Day

On 5 October 2026, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan marked World Teachers Day by publishing a childhood photograph alongside a handwritten note addressed to his former teacher, Ahmed Ibrahim Mandi Al Tamimi, who taught him in the fourth grade at Al Kindi Primary School in Abu Dhabi, as reported by albayan.ae.

Global Recognition Metrics Place the UAE Fourth Among 55 Educational Systems

Data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), published via the OECD Education GPS platform and cited by emaratalyoum.com, indicates that the United Arab Emirates ranked first in the Arab world and fourth among 55 participating international educational systems in societal appreciation for the teaching profession. Approximately 78.4% of surveyed teachers in the nation reported that their work is valued by society, contrasting with an average of 22% across reporting OECD territories. Furthermore, 91.7% of teachers surveyed in the country reported feeling appreciated by parents and guardians within their school environments, placing the nation second globally in that category, according to emaratalyoum.com. Among other participating Arab educational systems in the index, Saudi Arabia recorded approximately 77%, Bahrain 69%, and Morocco 50%, as noted by emaratalyoum.com.

Presidential and Ministerial Tributes Highlight Nationwide Appreciation

In a message posted on the platform X, formerly Twitter, and covered by CNN Arabic, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed gratitude to educators across the country for achieving educational objectives tied to future national development, stating, في اليوم العالمي للمعلمين أعبر عن التقدير والامتنان للمعلمين في الإمارات وأثمن دورهم في تحقيق أهداف رؤية التعليم وارتباطها بالمستقبل الأفضل الذي نريده لشعبنا، وأتمنى لهم التوفيق في رسالتهم التعليمية والتربويّة النبيلة ومواصلة دورهم في بناء أجيال واثقة بقدراتها متمسكة بهويتها وقادرة على مواكبة متطلبات المستقبل and concluding with the words, شكراً لكل معلم ترك أثراً لا يُنسى في حياتنا as reported by CNN Arabic. The handwritten message from April 1971 featured on his social media page stated, أهدي صورتي للأستاذ أحمد إبراهيم مندي للذكرى وشكرًا as noted by CNN Arabic. Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum issued a morning message to educators on the same day, stating that civilizations rest upon grand ideas grounded on great teachers, while Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan stated that every great future begins with a teacher, according to albayan.ae.

Humanitarian and Institutional Initiatives Honor Educators Across Emirates

The Make-A-Wish Foundation in the UAE acknowledged teachers as foundational pillars in child development and hope-building, with CEO Hani Al Zubaidi emphasizing the partnership between families, schools, and teachers in establishing supportive environments for children facing serious medical challenges, as reported by aletihad.ae. Hani Al Zubaidi stated, نؤمن في مؤسسة «تحقيق أمنية» بأن لكل طفل الحق في أن يؤمن بغده وبقدرته على تحقيق طموحاته، وأن المعلِّم شريك مهم في منح الأطفال الثقة والدافع للمضي نحو هذه الطموحات، خصوصاً في المراحل التي يحتاجون فيها إلى من يؤمن بقدراتهم ويشجعهم على تجاوز التحديات according to aletihad.ae.