Boys in pre-oil Dubai received education primarily through mosques and informal family instruction. Curriculum included Quranic studies, Islamic law, literacy, and basic arithmetic, preparing them for trade, leadership, and community responsibilities.
Imams and elders acted as teachers, mentors, and moral guides. Students learned not only reading and writing but also ethical conduct, social responsibility, and practical skills relevant to daily life.
Education reinforced community cohesion, ensuring that knowledge, traditions, and values were passed down generations. Boys were prepared to assume roles in trade, governance, and defense, shaping the city’s economic and social future.
Modern Dubai has expanded education to include formal schools and universities, but early practices laid the foundation for the city’s emphasis on learning and skill development.