Since 1999 when the first issue of EducationWorld was launched with minimal fanfare but maximum determination to “build the pressure of public opinion to make education the #1 item on the national agenda,” this objective has not yet been attained. However, there’s no doubt that awareness of the critical importance of QEFA (quality education for all) for national development has impacted the national consciousness like never before. There is rising agreement with the observation made by Nelson Mandela (1918-2013), the indefatigable leader of South Africa’s long freedom struggle against the unremittingly cruel practitioners of apartheid, that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”. Undoubtedly people of the world’s least developed countries who have relatively recently broken free from the shackles of imperialism and colonialism need high quality education to catch up with our erstwhile masters. Therefore applying the logic that what’s good for educationally short-changed India is good for the developing countries of the so-called third world, your editors have resolved to rate and rank the most respected schools of developing countries with the objective of acknowledging their contribution to the development of their host countries as also to encourage academic and student exchanges with India and inter se. We believe when nations are well-educated, the risk of armed conflict is greatly reduced and mutually advantageous trade linkages become easier. Education can unite the world. This year in the inaugural EducationWorld Global School Rankings (EWGSR), juries of education leaders and experts have ranked the Top 10 primary-secondary schools in our neighbour countries, i.e, the kingdoms of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain (CBSE and/or CISCE, Delhi affiliated schools), Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Next year, we intend to rank schools in a larger number of countries and in the fullness of time make the annual EWGSR truly global. UAE’s Top-ranked Schools Dubai 1. GEMS Modern Academy 2. The Indian High School 3. The Millennium School 4. Delhi Private School, Dubai 4. Gems Our Own English High School 5. Gems New Millennium School 6. Gems Our Own Indian School 7. Ambassador School 7. Our Own High School, Al Warqa’a 8. Credence High School 9. JSS Private School 9. JSS International School 10. Rajagiri International School “Since a jury of repute has recognised our excellence, I’m sure our entire school’s community will rejoice. Our school’s vision statement is ‘inspiring children to be positive change-makers’. It’s an honour and privilege your jury has acknowledged the hard work our teachers are doing to live up to this vision statement.” — Nargish Khambatta, principal, GEMS Modern Academy, Dubai. Abu Dhabi 1. Abu Dhabi Indian School, Al Muroor 2. Gems United Indian School 3. Abu Dhabi Indian School, Branch 1, Al Wathba 4. Mayoor Private School 5. St Joseph’s School 6. Bright Riders School 7. Private International English School 8. Sunrise English Private School 9. Global Indian International School 10. Grace Valley Indian School 10. Asian International Private School “This is indeed very good news…
