Students at Nord Anglia International School Dubai were left awestruck by a surprise visit from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday, with senior students hugging him, younger pupils from different nationalities greeting him and primary schoolchildren waving goodbye.

The school shared a video of the visit on Instagram, showing students and teachers welcoming Sheikh Mohammed during his brief appearance on campus.

The visit came as a complete surprise to the school community, with staff learning of his arrival only minutes beforehand, according to Kenny Duncan, Principal of Nord Anglia International School Dubai.

“It was wonderful to welcome His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to NAS Dubai on Wednesday, particularly in the middle of what was a very busy schedule for him. His visit was a fabulous surprise and we did not know of his visit until minutes before he arrived,” Duncan told Khaleej Times on Friday.

Sheikh Mohammed visited different year groups, spending time with students in class.

“Together with members of the school’s leadership team, he visited three year groups within our Primary school, spending time in class with Year 1, visiting Year 5 in their music lesson, and popping briefly into Secondary to say hello to a student in Year 13.”

(Source: Khaleej Times)