About Us
We are preparing the next generation of global citizens, who are equipped to thrive anywhere, while remaining rooted in their Emirati identity.
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School is a pilot, public school in Abu Dhabi with the mission of building belief in a unique and authentic, homegrown Emirati model of education. Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal integrates Emirati values, practices, and bodies of knowledge into the standard UAE public school curriculum.
The Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School immerses students in their Emirati heritage, while equipping them with the qualities and knowhow to be globally competitive. Students graduate as lifelong learners, problem solvers, and multilingual communicators with a strong appreciation for the school’s principal values of responsibility, collaboration, respect, perseverance, and ambition.
In its first academic year, 2022-2023, Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal will launch alongside 165 Emirati students. These students and their families will co-create our model alongside us. As feedback is received and the impact and resonance of our experimental approaches are reviewed, our model will significantly evolve in the initial few years. This evolution will continue, as we strive towards ceaseless, iterative improvement.
Through its commitment to open exchange and co-creation, and thanks to a small cohort in its first year, the school will evolve and adapt its approach over time, with students’ best interests and the school’s success at its heart.
The Legacy of Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal school takes its name from Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal (The First), uncle to the UAE’s founder, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikh Khalifa was known for his pursuit of knowledge and wisdom throughout his life.
Sheikh Khalifa’s Majlis was frequented by all the distinguished scholars of that time, including some of Abu Dhabi’s judges, leaders and teachers. His Majlis was open and accessible for everyone in the community to share knowledge and foster understanding.
Sheikh Khalifa took care of his nephew Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan during his childhood, especially after his father passed away in 1926. He instilled in him the love for knowledge and land at a very young age. Every morning, the young Sheikh Zayed would accompany his uncle to inspect the restoration of the Falaj (underground water channels for irrigation). At that time, Sheikh Khalifa was determined to revive Al Muwaiji Oasis in Al Ain and ordered the restoration of its Falaj to ensure a continuous fresh water supply.
He is also known to have ordered the planting of date palm trees brought from Liwa in Al Dhafra region in Al Ain. Today, Al Dabbas Palm trees and others continue to thrive in Al Ain.
Our school model is inspired by the great legacy that Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed the First left behind. His life-long pursuit of knowledge and his love for the community and place are some of the core values we cherish and uphold in our pedagogy. His devotion to the environment informs the principles on which we base our education, as we believe that it is through our land, that we learn how to preserve our heritage and prepare for the future.
Mission
Our mission is to . . .
pilot a distinctly Emirati approach to education, that develops students who are globally competitive and rooted in their Emirati identity.
In pursuit of a threefold vision . . .
that unleashes the potential of
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Students
by enabling them to become global citizens who are equipped to thrive anywhere and are rooted in their Emirati identity
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KBZA
by piloting a homegrown, distinctly Emirati model of education that is globally competitive.
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Education Sector
by spreading an Emirati model of education that is uniquely future-forward and inspires innovation globally.
“Our school is born out of the necessity of bridging education, culture and identity together. Different research has enabled us to understand the processes and methods necessary to leave an inspiring legacy for the new generations. At Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Awal School, we are confident that a distinctly Emirati approach to our students’ education will enable them to add their voice in shaping tomorrow’s world.”
Sara Ben Ammar
School Principal
Our
Team
Sara Ben Ammar
Principal
Hanan Al Jefri
Vice Principal
Wadeema Alremeithi
Head of Culture & Identity
Louiza Boddey
Head of Pastoral and Student Wellbeing
Amy Protano
Head of Primary School
Abdulla Al Qaysi
Head of Secondary
