2019-2020 high school graduates ‘must join’ National Service

The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces, represented by the National and Reserve Service Authority, announced that all high school students who graduated in the 2019-2020 academic year must enrol in the National Service Programme regardless of their grades.

The General Command invited the students to visit the recruitment centres distributed around the country to complete their registration and medical examination. It also noted that students with grades of 90 per cent or higher wishing to go to the university must attend a four-month basic training course and undertake the Emirates Standardised Test (EmSAT), before the end of their course, in coordination with the Ministry of Education.

Only those who pass this stage will be allowed to begin the university immediately after graduating from the basic training course. Students must then complete the remainder of a prescribed period of specialist training, active service and annual resuscitation training upon the completion of their university studies. Students who obtained a grade of 90 per cent or higher but are not able to achieve the required EmSAT results must complete all stages of the programme throughout the period prescribed by law, which is 16 months.

The General Command pointed out that this announcement is in implementation of Federal Decree No.27 of 2019, which amended certain provisions of Federal Law No. 06 of 2014 on the national and reserve service.

On Tuesday Mohammed Bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, and the assistant under-secretaries of the Ministry of Defence tmet several students of the National Defence College in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Major General Pilot Rashad Mohammed Salem Al Saadi, Commandant of the College.

During the meeting, Al Bowardi praised the work of the college, which is a leading academic institution that prepares national cadres and serves the overall development witnessed by the UAE Armed Forces and the country.

The Minister and the students also discussed several key issues related to defence affairs, including the future vision of the ministry and country’s military readiness.

Al Bowardi then wished the college’s teachers and staff luck and success in achieving its objectives and academic goals.

Several senior officers and officials from the ministry and members of the college’s administrative staff attended the meeting.

In October 2019,  the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces had announced the return of its troops from the Aden Governorate in Yemen after having successfully accomplished their role in liberating and stabilising Aden, and transferring its charge to Saudi and Yemeni forces, who will now maintain the security and stability of the Governorate.

WAM