Article

Belonging Without Bias: Why Cultural Context Matters More Than Ever in GCC Classrooms

Apr 30, 2025

Belonging—we all want it, whether it was finding a friend who understood us at school or, as adults, seeking places where we feel safe, valued, and connected.

Over the past few months, I’ve been diving deeper into education in an international context. I have lived in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for almost a decade, and I feel a very deep connection to the culture and heritage. Having seen so much change across the region, it’s hard to not compare what is happening now to how things were in the past. I’m not sure if it’s something that has simply caught my eye from being in the GCC so long or if it truly reflects a growing global shift, but I firmly believe that belonging is no longer a side conversation in education or the economy, especially in the Middle East. Today, belonging is becoming one of the clearest indicators of school quality, well-being, and future readiness.

Do Our Children Feel That They Belong?

In the UAE and Saudi Arabia, national education strategies are driving a major shift. Student identity, engagement, and well-being are now considered as important as academic achievement due to our deeper understanding of the need to feel secure. We see this everywhere, including national competitions for young people, the growth of cultural hubs, and new initiatives that celebrate the rich heritage of the countries we call home.

Across a Wider Scope, Do We All Feel That We Belong?

Across the Persian Gulf, school leaders are being asked not just to teach students but also to ensure that all children, across every nationality and background, feel that they truly belong. It is no small task when we have over 200 nationalities learning side-by-side. As Maslow (1943) posited in his hierarchy of needs theory, belonging is a fundamental psychological need; without it, higher levels of learning and achievement are simply out of reach.

More contemporary research, such as self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2000), continues to affirm that relatedness, the sense of meaningful connection, is critical to intrinsic motivation and engagement. When students feel they belong, their natural desire to learn is activated.

Therefore, the pertinent question becomes: How do we ensure that everyone belongs in our schools, at an integral stage in life where children rapidly develop into the adults they will become?

Building the New Cultural Landscape While Balancing Globalism

As the GCC nations grow at an extraordinary pace, balancing the new cultural landscape with globalizations and national identity becomes more complex and more urgent.

In the UAE alone, more than 200 nationalities live, work, and learn together, creating one of the most culturally diverse educational environments in the world. In the same region, Saudi Arabia’s education sector is rapidly expanding, with private schools increasing by nearly seven percent in just one year (Maaal, 2025), and forecasts suggest that even more significant growth is ahead.

As both the UAE and Saudi Arabia pursue ambitious national plans, in the government programs We the UAE 2031 (United Arab Emirates [UAE[, 2022) and Saudi Vision 2030 (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA], 2016), schools are tasked with delivering global competitiveness while also protecting and promoting national identity and heritage.

Yet, globalization brings its own challenges. English is now the dominant language of business and higher education. While fluency in English opens doors, it also raises concerns for the use of native language. The erosion of Arabic language proficiency can sometimes become a disconnect from cultural roots.

Today’s students often navigate multiple languages daily—Arabic at home, English at school, and other languages within their communities. Without careful, culturally responsive strategies, this complexity can silently undermine a student’s sense of belonging.

It has made me reflect deeply. Belonging is not a luxury; it’s the foundation upon which all learning stands (Goodenow, 1993). Students must first feel seen, valued, and connected before they can truly succeed.

Why Language, Data, and Personalization Matter for Real Belonging

In increasingly data-driven schools across the GCC, it is vital to remember that data is not just a measurement tool, but it’s also a window into understanding our students. When used thoughtfully, it can reveal cognitive patterns, learning preferences, and growth opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden.

Research into cognitive development among multilingual learners (Abu-Rabia et al., 2003) shows that, unless we understand how students think and reason within their own linguistic and cultural frameworks, we risk misinterpreting their true abilities. Students who thrive in diverse contexts may underperform when assessed against narrow, monolingual benchmarks, leading to missed opportunities for support, connection, and growth.

To create true belonging, we must ensure that:

Assessment data goes beyond surface performance to uncover underlying strengths and needs
Progress is interpreted through culturally and cognitively sensitive lenses
Interventions are personalized, building from capability, not assumptions

Schools must shift from simply collecting data to gathering the right data that is purposeful, nuanced, and able to drive meaningful, adaptive pathways for every student. Platforms that focus on personalized learning, adaptive assessments, and targeted support strategies demonstrate that, when used wisely, data can be a powerful tool for nurturing identity, agency, and belonging.

Belonging Is Now a Measurable, Strategic Priority

This cultural shift is not abstract; it’s embedded directly into educational policies across the region. Inspection frameworks now require schools to provide clear, measurable evidence of promoting inclusion, well-being, and belonging for all students, including:

UAE School Inspection Framework (Knowledge and Human Development Authority, 2016),
Irtiqa’a Framework for the Inspection of Government Schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, 2012), and
National Identity Mark (Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, 2023).

Today, belonging is assessed not just through surveys but also through real impact such as:

Identifying and closing gaps across nationality, language, and cultural groups
Monitoring engagement levels across different cohorts
Empowering student voice initiatives that authentically represent every community within the school

Belonging is no longer a “nice to have” practice. It is a strategic necessity, linked directly to inspection outcomes, school reputation, parental trust, and the holistic development of each child.

Looking Ahead: Building Inclusive Schools for the Future

At the heart of the GCC’s educational transformations lies a profound ambition to nurture students who are globally competent, culturally grounded, and personally empowered.
Schools that view belonging not merely as an emotional state but also as an educational foundation will be best prepared to meet this challenge. Geneva Gay (2000)posits that culturally responsive education is not a bonus; it is central to true equity and excellence.

For schools today, fostering belonging today means:

Using data to illuminate the whole learner, not just academic performance
Designing personalized pathways that embrace each student’s language, culture, and identity as a strength
Ensuring that no student’s background becomes a barrier to full engagement, well-being, or achievement

When schools intentionally validate every student’s lived experience, they move from simply including learners to truly empowering them. They prepare students not only for tests but also for thriving lives.

Belonging without bias is not just about building better schools. It is about shaping a stronger, more inclusive future for the entire region.

Summary

Belonging is foundational to student success. Without a strong sense of connection, students cannot access higher levels of learning or achievement (Maslow, 1943; Goodenow, 1993).

The GCC is undergoing rapid cultural and educational transformation. With the UAE hosting more than 200 nationalities and Saudi Arabia’s private education sector growing by nearly seven percent (Maaal, 2025), fostering belonging across diverse groups is more critical than ever.
Data-driven understanding must be culturally and linguistically sensitive. Schools must gather and interpret student data not only to measure attainment but also to reveal the full spectrum of cognitive and identity development (Abu-Rabia et al., 2003).
Belonging is now embedded in school inspection frameworks. The UAE School Inspection Framework, Irtiqa’a Framework, and National Identity Mark require evidence of genuine inclusion, engagement, and well-being initiatives linked to measurable outcomes.
The future belongs to schools that empower every learner. Building culturally responsive, personalised pathways enables students to thrive not only academically but also personally as resilient, adaptable global citizens (Gay, 2000).

About the Author

The article is written by Philippa Wraithmell, founder of EdRuption—a dynamic consultancy at the forefront of educational transformation. Passionate about positive school leadership, meaningful technology integration, and safeguarding, Philippa brings a wealth of expertise to the table. As an accomplished educator and award-winning author, Philippa’s expertise lies in integrating technology effectively into educational settings, and her passion for meaningful technology integration has empowered schools to enhance student learning experiences.