The Chinese School Dubai, which was initiated by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and run by Hangzhou, the capital of East China's Zhejiang province, welcomed its first group of students in Dubai Sept 1.

The first full-time Chinese school authorized by MOE overseas, the Chinese School Dubai is non-profit and has enrolled pupils in grades 1 to 5. It will open K-12 education to around 800 students in the future, with every class containing no more than 24 students. The school also plans to make quality Chinese educational resources available to more Chinese citizens in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), overseas Chinese and UAE citizens.

The Chinese School Dubai welcomes the first group of students in Dubai, Sept 1.  [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

Statistics to April 2016 showed that the number of Chinese people living in Dubai had approached 270,000 with nearly 10,000 children.

Children there once faced the lack of the mother tongue and Chinese cultural immersion as there were neither a specific Chinese school nor adequate Chinese language classes offered at local international schools.

Hangzhou No 2 High School was appointed to solve the problem and resolutely took up the responsibility. The school is a time-honored educational brand which has not only launched the first K-12 education in Zhejiang province in August 2002 that matched US curriculum standards, but has also educated some 500 children from over 30 countries and regions.

Teachers assigned to the Chinese School Dubai will serve at least two years, ensuring the best stability in the faculty team. They will deliver classes covering the same disciplines as in domestic schools and also offering optional Dubai localized and international classes.

China's Consul General in Dubai Li Xuhang said he hoped the school would lead the process of Chinese education "going out" and would be a win-win result in China-UAE educational and cultural cooperation.

Officials from China and the United Arab Emirates applaud the opening of the school. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]