UAE: Some parents express concern over ‘difficult’ exams, ‘shocked’ by marks as students receive results

The Ministry of Education surprised many by releasing the first-semester grades for the 2024-2025 school year earlier than expected

Parents and students in the UAE met the announcement of the results of first semester exams in government schools with mixed emotions. While some parents expressed their anger and frustration on social media, others kept their feelings to themselves.

A common source of dissatisfaction was subjects like Math, Science, and Arabic, where few students achieved full marks, with many attributing the results to the difficulty of the exams.

Unexpected release of results

The Ministry of Education (MoE) surprised many by releasing the first-semester grades for the 2024-2025 school year earlier than expected. Initially, results were anticipated between January 13 and January 17. However, students in grades 1-4 received their results on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, followed by grades 5-8 on January 9, and grades 9-12 on January 10, 2025.

Fares A., an Emirati student in eighth grade, was one of the many students who received their results early. He shared that, despite his low academic performance, he is determined to improve. “I passed all my subjects except for science, where I got an F,” he shared.

The student who received his results on Thursday, added: “I have been struggling in math and science. Both subjects are challenging, and the exams are even more difficult, but I will work hard to improve in the coming semesters.” He also noted that 20 students in his class received a failing grade in science.

‘Shocked by the result’

Interestingly, even students who received A’s in most of their subjects faced dissatisfaction from their parents.

Mona, the mother of a 4th-grade student at a government school in Al Barsha, expressed concern over her daughter’s grades. She explained that her daughter received A’s in all subjects but A-‘s in the activity subjects, most of which were not covered during the semester.

“I am going to school to meet with the principal regarding my daughter’s grades,” Mona said.

Just like Mona, Eman was not happy with the results. The mother of two expressed shock when both of her children received F’s in more than three subjects. “I always follow up with them on their homework and study activities, so I was shocked by this result,” she said.

Despite her disappointment, Eman remains hopeful. “I will continue teaching them harder and hope they will improve. There is still a chance (to improve), as we are only at the beginning of the school year.”

‘Ready for college’

Meanwhile, Maryam, an Emirati mother, expressed relief that her daughter performed better than expected in 4th grade. “I expected my daughter to fail at math,” she stated.

“But after transferring her to a government school from a different curriculum, I knew she’d face some challenges. Still, her grades are mostly A’s and B’s. A D in math isn’t great, but it’s better than failing.”

Maryam also talked about her daughter’s anxiety regarding the results, saying, “When I told her that the results would be released today, she was so anxious that she didn’t eat her breakfast. I’ll surprise her with a gift when she gets home,” she explained.

Humaid Adel, a 17-year-old Emirati student in 12th grade, also shared his relief after receiving his results. “I didn’t sleep all night,” he admitted. “I kept praying and sending messages to my friends and family, asking them to pray for me. Time felt so heavy until 10am.”

When the results came through, Humaid was proud of his performance. “I’m proud of myself. All of my grades are above a C,” and added, “I think I’m ready for college.”