UAE to introduce mandatory Arabic exams for Grade 12 Arab students

Arab nationals in Grade 12 will have to take an Arabic assessment exam before entering university, starting from the next academic year, the Ministry of Education recently announced.

However, those who do not score well on the exam will not be barred from entering university. The exam is also not mandatory for non-Arab students, Gulf News reported.

"The exam is not about failing or passing. It is about giving universities an idea of students' competency in the language. It is a national exam to measure the skills of students in the Arabic language similar to how a TOFEL exam tests student's competency in English," said UAE minister of education Hussain Al Hammadi.

"The exam is still in its study phase and, in the future, a national exam will also be adopted for other main subjects such as maths and science," he added.