Is Hindi Taught in Dubai Schools? Hindi Writing for NRI Kids

Hindi is taught in some Dubai schools but not all. It is not one of the UAE national subjects that every private school must teach, so whether your child gets Hindi lessons depends mainly on the school's curriculum. Indian-curriculum (CBSE) schools commonly offer it, while many British, American and IB schools do not. This guide explains what to check, and how to keep Hindi reading and writing going at home if school does not cover it.

If you would like a live teacher to help your child read and write Hindi with confidence, take a look at our online Hindi learning course.

Is Hindi compulsory in Dubai schools?

No, Hindi is not compulsory across Dubai. The mandatory subjects that Dubai's school regulator sets for private schools are about the UAE itself: Arabic, Islamic Education, UAE Social Studies and Moral Education. You can see the full list in the KHDA's guide to mandatory subjects. Hindi does not appear on it.

This means each school decides for itself whether to offer Hindi, and for which grades. That is why two Indian families in the same neighbourhood can have very different answers.

Which schools usually teach Hindi?

Indian-curriculum (CBSE) schools

Many CBSE schools in Dubai offer Hindi as a second-language option, often alongside choices such as Sanskrit, French, Malayalam or Tamil. Some schools ask Indian-passport students to take an Indian language, while others let families choose. Policies differ by school and by grade, so ask the school directly.

British, American and IB schools

These schools usually teach Arabic as the required additional language and may offer French, Spanish or another language as an option. Hindi lessons are less common, and where they exist they may be an after-school club rather than a timetabled subject. If your child is in one of these schools, Hindi mostly happens at home.

Arabic and other requirements come first

Because Arabic and the UAE subjects take up timetable space, Hindi often gets fewer lessons than parents expect, even in schools that offer it. A child can attend a school with Hindi and still read and write it slowly.

Questions to ask your school

1. Is Hindi offered, and from which grade?
2. Is it a timetabled lesson or an after-school activity?
3. How many lessons a week, and is there a written exam?
4. Is Hindi a choice, or required for your child?
5. Can a child join in a later grade if they have not learned Hindi earlier?

Ask for the answers in writing if you can. School language policies can change between academic years.

Why Hindi writing slips for children growing up in the Gulf

Children in the UAE hear Hindi at home, but they live in English and Arabic all day. Speaking often stays fine. Reading and writing are what slide, because they need regular practice.

1. Matras (the vowel signs) are easy to leave out or put on the wrong side of a letter.
2. Joint letters (conjuncts) look unfamiliar when children rarely see printed Hindi.
3. Spelling is mixed up with how words sound in English.
4. Writing speed stays slow, so children avoid writing at all.

Our guide on why English-medium kids often have weaker Hindi handwriting goes deeper into these patterns, and you can see how to fix the most frequent errors in common matra mistakes in Hindi handwriting.

What to aim for at each stage

Every child is different, so treat these as rough guides rather than targets.

Ages 5 to 7

Focus on recognising akshar, saying them aloud and simple two-letter words. Writing can be a few letters at a time. Praise effort, since this is the stage where a child decides whether Hindi feels fun or hard.

Ages 8 to 10

Add matras, three- and four-letter words and short sentences. This is a good time to read a short story together and write two lines about it. Spelling mistakes are normal and are a sign your child is trying new words.

Ages 11 to 13

Move to joint letters, longer passages and writing a short paragraph. Children at this age often avoid Hindi because it feels babyish, so choose topics that interest them, such as cricket, films or a trip to India.

How to keep Hindi going at home

You do not need to be a teacher. Short, regular practice works better than one long weekend session.

1. Pick a fixed, short slot. Ten minutes after dinner is easier to keep than an hour on a Friday.
2. Start with sounds and akshar. If your child is new to reading, use word lists that grow slowly, such as do, teen and char akshar wale shabd.
3. Read one short thing aloud. A page of a picture book, a rhyme or a sign. Let your child point at the words.
4. Write one or two lines. A sentence about their day is enough. Check the matras together, not every letter.
5. Talk about meaning. Ask what a word means in English and in Hindi. Use it again the next day.

The article how 10 minutes a day can transform your child's Hindi handwriting shows a simple daily routine, and how to write Hindi faster without making more mistakes helps once the basics are steady.

When to add a teacher

Home practice is a good start. A teacher helps when:

1. your child can speak Hindi but struggles to read it,
2. school Hindi is a subject they dread or avoid,
3. you cannot check matras and spelling confidently yourself, or
4. you are planning a move to India and want your child to fit in with Hindi lessons there.

In our live online Hindi classes, a teacher reads, writes and speaks with your child and corrects mistakes as they happen. The course starts from akshar and matras and builds to sentences and reading passages. Neat writing is a separate skill, and our Hindi handwriting course covers it. Both work from Dubai and elsewhere in the Gulf, since classes are online.

If you want to see how it feels for your child, you can book a free Hindi class from the course page.

Hindi in Dubai schools FAQs