'If Emiratis won't teach Emirati children, then who will? An Exploration of the factors impacting Emirati teacher attraction and retention to the education profession:Emirati Perceptions of the Education Profession

Teachers should reflect the children in their classrooms. The importance of representation in teaching has been shown in multiple studies (Egalite, Kisida, Winters, 2015; Gershenson, Hansen, &amp; Lindsay, 2021; Leonardo &amp; Boas, 2013), yet as schools internationalise, representation of host country teachers is limited in private schools (Gardner-Mctaggart, 2020). Within the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has a disproportionate number of immigrants across its primary labour force, the lack of Emirati teachers in private and public schools is glaring.<br/><br/>The UAE has implemented a scheme requiring private businesses and schools to meet a quota of Emirati employees across sectors to increase employment of Emirati nationals (MOHRE, 2023). Private businesses have partnered with government contractors to increase Emiratisation, yet the education field remains a challenge. The impacts are economic and social; private schools are paying hefty fines while Emirati children do not see themselves represented in their teachers. This is significant when the host country population is the minority within their own borders (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2024). The University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus is uniquely positioned to support Emiratisation efforts in the education sector. Yet, this poses dilemmas of curriculum, contextualisation and decolonisation for all institutions operating outside their own national borders.<br/><br/>This presentation will discuss a qualitative study aimed at understanding the factors related to Emirati teachers’ decisions about entering the profession and choices to remain. It will also addresses deconstructing UK-centric teacher training models in an effort to better meet the demands of a different cultural, social and educational contexts.