Dubai: Girls topped the grade 12 UAE ministry examinations this year, scoring the highest results in all streams.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, surprised the top high school achievers on Wednesday during a suhour held at Zabeel Palace in Dubai.

Shaikh Mohammad gave the students the good news before the official 2014-2015 examination result announcements.

“When Shaikh Mohammad delivered the good news that I scored the highest grade in the science stream in the UAE, I was shocked,” said Emirati Sara Abdul Rahman Ahmad who topped the scientific stream with 99.9 per cent.

Sara tied with Egyptian Noorhan Salah Al Deen Ali who also topped the scientific stream with 99.9 per cent.

Out of the 34,397 pupils — from public schools and private schools following the ministry’s curriculum — who sat for the grade 12 exams across the UAE this year, female students scored the highest in the literary, scientific, applied technology and technical streams.

In the literary section, female Emirati students Hind Ali Salim Mohammad Al Kaabi from Hatta topped the list of achievers, with 99.88 per cent.

In the applied technology and technical, Emirati Anoud Eydha from Abu Dhabi scored the highest with 98.3 per cent.

Sara said she hopes to gain a doctorate in special education at the UAE University.

“My grades are high, I can easily get accepted to a medicine programme, but I would rather follow my passion,” she said.

As advice to other students who hope to get high grades next year, Sara said time management is key.

“At the beginning of the year, you must have a target for yourself. You then have to manage your time, balancing family, your studies and friends.”

Noorhan on the other hand advised people not to over-study.

“I was surprised I came on top with Sara in the science stream because I made a big mistake in the English exam. I thought for sure I wont be among the toppers this year. But thank God I was wrong,” she said.

Noorhan said the biggest mistake a student can do is to over-study.

“You have to take things easy and remain stress-free. If you study well you should have nothing to worry about. I used to watch Arabic serials and movies during my study breaks and go out with family and friends. They key is to manage your time,” she said.

Noorhan is thinking of studying to become an ophthalmologist, because she likes physics, or a paediatrician to follow in her father’s footsteps.

Hind, who got the highest grade in the literary stream, on the other hand said she was able to top the list of high achievers by revising studies.

“I will follow Shaikh Mohammad’s advice. He told us toppers to keep working hard because we are the leaders of the future. I plan in becoming an ambassador so I am going to study finance and political science,”

Emirati Fatima Ebrahim Abdullah came in second in the literature stream with 99.81 per cent.

Fatima was not very surprised of her grade because she has always been a top student, which is something that runs in the family.

“I plan on studying international relations in the University of Sharjah. My family and I are very happy with the news especially that two weeks ago my sister was a topper in her university,” she said.