Dubai's English Language Private School crowned World Champions at Century Tech Excellence Awards 2026
More than one million learners competed across 70 countries
DUBAI – The English Language Private School (ELPS) in Dubai is celebrating one of the most significant international academic achievements by a school in the UAE after being crowned World Champions at the Century Tech Excellence Awards 2026.
The ceremony honoured the school's students, teachers and academic leaders following ELPS's first-place finish in the CENTURY Spring Challenge 2026.
The school emerged as the world's top-performing institution among more than one million learners representing over 1,500 schools across 70 countries. The achievement marks a major milestone for the Dubai-based school and highlights its continued focus on educational excellence, innovation and technology-driven learning.
The celebration brought together government representatives, education leaders, parents and members of the wider community to recognise the collective efforts behind the school's global success.
Global honour
The awards ceremony was attended by Hussain Muhammad, Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai, who served as the Chief Guest. Other distinguished guests included Chairman Hassan Ibrahim Hokal, Co-Chairman Muhammad Rashid Ashraf, Governor Ahmed Geddy, Press Counsellor Saleh Muhammad, Trade and Investment Counsellor Ali Zeb Khan, Principal of Pakistan Education Academy Shumaila Ahmed, members of the Board of Governors, school leadership, educationists, parents and community representatives.
The programme opened with the UAE National Anthem, followed by the recitation and translation of the Holy Quran. Guests were then presented with The World Champion Story, a special presentation tracing ELPS's journey to becoming the highest-performing school globally in the CENTURY Spring Challenge 2026.
Addressing attendees, Principal Muhammad Atif described the World Champion title as the result of a shared vision supported by committed leadership, dedicated teachers, hardworking students and strong parental involvement. He reaffirmed the school's commitment to preparing future-ready learners through educational innovation, technology-enhanced teaching and high-quality classroom practices designed to help every student reach their full potential.
A congratulatory message was also delivered on behalf of the Board of Governors, highlighting the Board's continued investment in educational excellence, innovation and initiatives that equip students to compete in an increasingly global environment. The Board congratulated students, teachers and school leaders on the historic achievement while reaffirming its commitment to maintaining a culture of excellence.
Student success
Students played a central role throughout the celebration with a series of performances, including patriotic songs and the Champions of Learning presentation. During the session, students reflected on their personal learning journeys and shared how they contributed to ELPS's record-breaking performance in the international competition.
One of the ceremony's highlights was the presentation of the Century Tech Excellence Awards to outstanding students from FS2 to Year 9. The awards recognised exceptional academic performance, resilience and commitment to learning across multiple year groups.
Teachers and department heads were also honoured for their contribution to teaching excellence, educational innovation and student achievement. Their recognition reflected the collaborative approach that underpinned the school's success in the global challenge.
The event also featured the official presentation of the World Champion Trophy, symbolising ELPS's position as the No. 1 school worldwide in the CENTURY Spring Challenge 2026.
UAE’s educational excellence
In his keynote address, Hussain Muhammad congratulated the students on their international accomplishment and praised the school for nurturing young people capable of excelling on the global stage.
He also commended the Board of Governors, school leadership, teachers, staff, students and parents for their collective dedication, noting that educational excellence, innovation and lifelong learning remain essential for developing future leaders and building prosperous societies.
The Consul General further acknowledged the UAE's leadership for its continued commitment to educational excellence, artificial intelligence, innovation and human development. He said achievements such as ELPS's World Champion title are made possible by the country's forward-looking education ecosystem, which encourages schools to pursue international excellence.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of a commemorative memento to the Chief Guest, followed by a vote of thanks and a networking reception attended by educators, parents, distinguished guests and members of the wider community.
Following the event, school officials reaffirmed ELPS's commitment to building on its latest achievement through continued investment in innovative teaching methods, educational technology and learner development, while preparing confident, compassionate and globally competitive students for the future.