In the Gulf, Boys Falling Behind in School DUBAI - For his final project at Dubai Men's College , Suqrat bin Bisher chose a topic that made his family and friends a little uneasy. My father is the only educated one from his brothers. The rest are dropouts. My male cousins are all also dropouts. Many of my friends are, too," said the 23-year-old Emirati university student. It's not a bad thing to talk openly about this. We need to bring awareness to what will happen to our country in 10 years if there are no strong, educated Emirati men to lead it. The outspoken student, who conducted 137 interviews with principals, students and parents for a documentary film about the subject, is tackling a subject that has puzzled education leaders across the Gulf for the past two decades. Despite sweeping education reform in Abu Dhabi and massive education funding in Doha, dropout rates for high school boys remain alarmingly high. In the United Arab Emirates, up to 25 percent of Emirati boys do not complete high school, according to 2012 data from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority , or K.H.D.A., in Dubai. The boys, uninspired by teachers and classes, often leave for low-skilled public sector jobs in the army or police force, or roles in family businesses, analysts say. "The rate has been the same for the last 20 years or so," said Fatma al-Marri, chief executive officer of the Dubai Schools Agency at K.H.D.A. "Also, male students who do graduate are sometimes up to 24 years of age because they had to repeat grades." Out of 100 male students monitored by the K.H.D.A. since grade six, only 32 managed to complete high school in 12 years; 47 graduated after repeating at least one year; and 21 dropped out of high school. Dropouts occur most often in public schools in grade 10, where 11 percent of boys never make it to grade 11. High school dropouts mean that fewer male students pursue higher education, where they currently make up just 30 percent of local university populations. The low rate has tremendous economic and social implications for the country, as women are less likely to marry an uneducated man. In addition, if local men cannot qualify for higher level jobs, those positions go to expatriates instead. Boys" motivation to study is affected by the fact that the public sector employs nearly 90 percent of citizens in the U.A.E. and Qatar, and families provide continued support for their children, analysts say. Citizens of the Gulf states, made wealthy by oil revenues, tend to enjoy both financial and social benefits. "We know of cases where the child comes to school with an assistant to help them do work and carry bags - this exists across the Gulf," said Leila Hoteit, an education expert at Booz & Co. , a consultancy in the U.A.E. "We need to wake them up and say, When oil runs out, how will your life be then? It is important for these children to be self-sufficient. The future world will be very different to the one they are growing up in now. Forty-two percent of Emiratis in Dubai attend public schools, with the remaining pupils clustered in a small number of the 148 available private schools. Public schools are all gender segregated out of respect for local culture and receive ample funding from the government; however, teacher quality tends to be low, and there is no guidance counseling. When Mr. Bisher's diplomat father returned to the U.A.E. after foreign postings, he wanted to enroll his son in a public school to improve his Arabic. They found that classrooms for high school students had Winnie the Pooh wallpaper. Windows were painted the same color as the walls so students could not see outside to limit distraction. Boys zoned out during lectures by Arab teachers with heavy foreign accents, entertaining themselves by scratching the paint on the windows instead. A fellow student told Mr. Bisher which teachers hit students, which ones were easily threatened by students, and which ones would accept bribes. Field trips were to malls or nearby heritage sites. There were no art or music classes, subjects that deeply interested Mr. Bisher from a young age. Our schools are clean and have lots of funding. The level of teaching may not be that bad compared to other countries; but then why can't we make our schools truly excellent since we have the resources and support?" said Mr. Bisher, who transferred to a private high school in Dubai. Why can't we have field trips abroad, classes in other languages, teachers who really push us?