News DeskAbu Dhabi, UAE – More than eight in ten students in UAE schools feel connected, supported and positively engaged in their learning environments, according to new findings from Peekapak’s UAE Wellbeing Surveys, released this week.
The study, conducted across 20 elementary and secondary schools in the UAE, gathered insights from both students and teachers on student wellbeing. The surveys assessed four key wellbeing domains aligned with the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) Student Wellbeing Framework, offering a comprehensive snapshot of how wellbeing is experienced and perceived in schools.
Results show particularly strong outcomes in relational and shared aspects of wellbeing. Between 83% and 86% of students reported positive experiences related to supportive relationships, communication, kindness and overall school atmosphere. Teachers’ perceptions closely aligned with student responses, and these indicators remained consistent from elementary through secondary levels.
However, the survey revealed more varied responses in areas linked to students’ internal wellbeing. Domains such as self-management, meaning and purpose, emotional regulation, deep learning and happiness recorded lower, though still largely positive, sentiment. Approximately 68% to 78% of students responded favourably in these areas, with a noticeable decline during the transition from elementary to secondary school.
Researchers noted that while external and relational wellbeing is more visible and consistently reinforced within school communities, internal wellbeing can be harder to observe and sustain, particularly as academic demands and developmental pressures increase.
The Peekapak surveys are now used by 50% of Abu Dhabi charter schools, as well as leading institutions such as Cranleigh Abu Dhabi, to inform wellbeing strategies and policy decisions.
“UAE schools are clearly nurturing strong cultures of kindness, belonging and connection,” said Dr. Jenna Santyr, Director of Education at Peekapak. “At the same time, the data reminds us that quieter dimensions of wellbeing — such as motivation, purpose and emotional balance — require intentional space for reflection and student voice.”
The findings underscore the importance of viewing wellbeing as both a collective school culture and an individual journey. Experts say the results highlight how UAE schools are supporting students’ emotional, social and physical development, while also identifying opportunities to strengthen support for students’ inner resilience and long-term wellbeing.
