Private schools in Dubai rank among the world's top 10 in a new report that further shows school standards improving across the UAE.Overall, the UAE outperformed all other Arab nations in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) 2025 in the fields of reading, science and maths.The Emirates was one of only eight of the 91 participating countries and economies that improved its performance from the previous evaluation in 2022. Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, said this was down to the collective efforts of the UAE’s educational institutions, staff and teachers. Pupils’ ambition and determination were vital drivers in this achievement, she said.The UAE still scores below average in the education survey by the OECD, a collection of developed countries.The UAE had a score of 458 in the science category. The highest-performing nation in this sector was China with a score of 597. The average score among the 91 nations in the evaluation was 482.In the reading sector, the UAE scored 428 points, below the global average of 461, in a category topped by Singapore, which achieved a total of 535. In the maths category, the UAE scored 453, below the average of 463, in a sector topped by China with 612.The UAE scored 476 in computational problem solving, below the average of 500, the section headed by Singapore with a total of 563.At emirate level, Dubai ranked highest, scoring 506 in science, 496 in maths and 484 in reading; 48, 43 and 51 points above the national averages respectively, according to a statement from the Ministry of Education.The report said more than 96 per cent of UAE pupils attend schools with subject-specific guidelines for digital device use, compared to the average of more than 71 per cent. There were 34,639 pupils from 1,070 schools across the UAE that took part in the assessment, Wam added.Making the gradeThe Pisa assessment is administered every three years by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to evaluate the knowledge and skills of 15-year-old pupils.The results achieved by Dubai schools in the evaluation were hailed by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, who said the findings are a testament to the emirate's education system.“We begin the new academic year with an achievement that reflects the strength and continued progress of Dubai’s education system,” said Sheikh Hamdan.Sheikh Hamdan congratulated the emirate's education community on the achievement, saying it reflects the collective efforts of teachers, pupils and parents.“We have great confidence in everyone working with dedication to achieve new accomplishments for Dubai and its people,” he said. “We have even greater confidence in the ability of Dubai’s schools, teachers, pupils and parents to continue making progress and build on these results to reach new levels of excellence.“Our goal remains clear and unwavering. Every student in Dubai should receive a high-quality education that opens up broader opportunities for the future and equips them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to play an active role in shaping it. This will support the UAE’s aspirations and further strengthen its global competitiveness and leading position.”Dubai’s private schools ranked sixth globally in reading, with an average score of 501 points. They also ranked eighth globally in maths and science, recording average scores of 511 points and 522 points respectively.Private schools in the emirate also ranked ninth globally in computational problem solving, with an average score of 534 points, outperforming the global average by 34 points. In the previous assessment, Dubai’s private schools ranked ninth globally in mathematics, 13th in reading and 14th in science.“Dubai’s ambition knows no limits, and every achievement is a starting point for an even greater one. The emirate continues to raise expectations for its education system in line with its vision for the future,” said Sheikh Hamdan.“Our focus is on enhancing the quality of educational outcomes and developing the capabilities of future generations, in line with the UAE’s aspirations and its people-centred development model.”