UAE schools have started receiving results for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) on Friday night. Several students registered outstanding performance, hitting marks that are significantly above the international average.
Some of the toppers include Jana Roy, from Dubai International Academy – Emirates Hills (DIA EH), scored a full 45 points – a feat achieved by an elite 0.1 per cent of IB Diploma students globally. An Emirati student from the same school, Rashid Abbas, achieved 44 points.
Based on the results shared with Khaleej Times, students from DIA EH, Dubai International Academy – Al Barsha and Raffles World Academy – all under Innoventures Education – showed a strong performance with a 99.6 per cent pass rate. A total of six students achieved 44 points, and 15 per cent of the cohort of 238 scored above 40.
Some of the students secured admissions in top-ranked global universities such as Stanford University, University of Oxford, Brown University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Toronto, University of Cambridge, Imperial College and London School of Economics.
‘I did the best I could’
Roy, who was surprised of her strong performance, said: “I honestly was not expecting the grades that I received. Nor did I put too much emphasis on getting the perfect score. I simply showed up each day and did the best I could do and the results simply followed. I would like to thank my teachers for all their help.”
Abbas, a student at DIA EH since KG 1, for his part said: “I am very blessed with these grades. Alhamdulillah! It’s been of course tough and challenging but at the end it has been a rewarding journey.” He is going to join the UAE military services.
Poonam Bhojani, CEO of Innoventures Education, added: “Our students have once again performed remarkably well in the 2023-2024 academic year. This is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the students and the schools’ dedicated faculty as well as the positive support of the parents.”
Commendable journey
Richard Drew, chair of the UAE IB Association, said “We extend our congratulations to all students who have worked diligently towards these achievements. Your commitment and hard work during this challenging journey is commendable.”
“May (the strong results) open doors to exciting opportunities in their onward university placements and future endeavours. We are proud of all the achievements of IB students in the UAE and look forward to celebrating their continued success,” he added.
Surpassing 2023 world average
A total of 599 Grade 12/Year 13 students from seven GEMS schools in the UAE sat the DP exams. Collectively, they secured an average score of 33 points and a pass rate of 87 per cent, outperforming the 2023 world averages of 30 points and 79 per cent respectively. Two GEMS students achieved the highest score possible of 45.
“At GEMS, we strive to foster a learning environment that nurtures intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and global citizenship. These achievements reflect our collective efforts to provide an outstanding education that prepares our students for the challenges and opportunities of the future,” said Dr Saima Rana, Group Chief Education Officer at GEMS Education.
Meanwhile, 28 students from two GEMS schools (GEMS International School – Al Khail and GEMS Wellington International School) took exams for the Career-related Programme (CP) exams. They all recorded a perfect overall pass rate of 100 per cent.
“Our second graduating class of CP students achieved a 100 per cent pass rate. We have seen superb individual outcomes, a result of their hard work and determination across the last two years,” said Simon Herbert, Head of School/CEO, GEMS International School – Al Khail.
(With inputs from Nandini Sircar)