Sharjah Ruler orders weekly transport for female maritime students after parent's radio appeal
His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi has directed the Sharjah Maritime Academy to provide free weekly transport for female students traveling between Khor Fakkan and Sharjah city following a father's concerns raised on the Direct Line radio programme.
Mariam Al Mansoori
Sharjah Ruler orders weekly transport for female maritime students after parent's radio appeal
His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has ordered the provision of free weekly transport for female students at the Sharjah Maritime Academy's Khor Fakkan branch following a parent's appeal on a radio programme.
The directive, issued during the Direct Line programme broadcast by the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority, will see students transported to their families in Sharjah every Thursday, their weekly day off, and returned to the academy on Sunday to resume their studies.
Father's appeal on radio programme
The intervention came after a father called the programme to explain that his daughter was studying marine engineering at the academy and living in student accommodation in Khor Fakkan, an exclave of Sharjah located on the east coast facing the Gulf of Oman. The journey between Sharjah city and Khor Fakkan covers approximately 137 kilometers and takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour and 12 minutes by car.
The father told the programme that he had to drive from Sharjah to Khor Fakkan every Thursday to bring his daughter home, then make the return journey on Sunday. The weekly round trips had become a burden and disrupted his work schedule.
Immediate response from the Ruler
Sheikh Sultan responded immediately by contacting the academy's director and ordering the transport provision for female students from Sharjah city. The Ruler serves as President and Founder of the Sharjah Maritime Academy, which he established in Khor Fakkan.
The Direct Line programme, launched in 2006, is dedicated to receiving suggestions and complaints from citizens and residents, with solutions sought from government officials. Sheikh Dr Sultan has made 53 on-air interventions on the programme between 2023 and 2025, including 16 times in 2023, 21 times in 2024, and 16 times in 2025.
Academy coordination underway
The academy's administration is now coordinating with the University City administration to determine the number of students who will benefit from the service and identify their residential locations ahead of arranging the transport.
About the Sharjah Maritime Academy
The Sharjah Maritime Academy is the only institution in the UAE offering CAA-accredited baccalaureate degrees in maritime education and is regulated by the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy. The academy boasts 37% female enrollment, the highest in the Middle East among maritime institutions.
The campus in Khor Fakkan features student housing with separate dormitories for male and female students, including spacious rooms, study halls, sport grounds, and gym facilities, which explains why students reside at the academy during the week.
