Kambiz Masoumi had watched his son Sepanta work hard for years. Now 17, Sepanta had always been sharp — curious, disciplined, drawn to the rigour of mathematics and physics. But something wasn’t working. At his previous school in Dubai, where he had been studying his A Levels, the energy and drive that defined him at home seemed to fade inside the classroom.
For Kambiz, it was a familiar frustration that many parents in the GCC will recognise: a capable child held back not by ability, but by a system that couldn’t quite keep pace with him.
A Decision That Didn’t Come Easily
The Masoumi family had relocated from Iran to the UAE three years prior. Sepanta had settled into school for his IGCSE years, but when A Levels began, cracks started to show. The quality of teaching felt inconsistent. Subject options were limited. And perhaps most tellingly, Sepanta himself felt disengaged — going through the motions rather than genuinely learning.
“He was not satisfied,” Kambiz explains. “The quality and quantity of education, the involvement of the student in the learning process — it simply wasn’t there at A Level. And when he needed to choose certain subjects for the first time, the school couldn’t accommodate him.”
Kambiz began researching alternatives. U Global Academy came up repeatedly — and crucially, it felt credible. “He found U Global Academy reliable,” Kambiz says simply. That trust was the first step.
But it wasn’t a straightforward decision. Like most parents considering a departure from traditional schooling, Kambiz had concerns — about social development, about competition, about the absence of physical school supervision, and above all, about whether universities would accept a student educated this way. These were legitimate questions, and ones that the UGA admissions team addressed directly, honestly, and satisfactorily.
Learning That Fits Around a Life
Today, Sepanta’s week looks quite different — and far more intentional. He attends live online and in-person sessions three to four days a week, covering Pure Mathematics, Further Mathematics, and Physics. Sessions run for around eight to ten hours per week with UGA, followed by structured independent study and problem-solving practice.
The rest of his time is genuinely his own. He trains at the gym, practises boxing, reads broadly, and pursues his own interests — the kind of balanced week that traditional schools rarely allow at this level of academic intensity.
“The small class sizes mean direct supervision and close communication between teacher and student,” Kambiz notes. “Sepanta is more involved in the learning process than he ever was before.”
With external examinations temporarily postponed due to regional circumstances, formal results are pending — but internal evaluations tell a clear story. Progress has been consistent and gradual. More importantly, Sepanta is engaged.
More Than Academic Progress
What has struck Kambiz most is not just what Sepanta is learning, but how he is thinking. The UGA teachers — experienced professionals who bring real-world perspectives to their teaching — have opened up conversations about the future that go well beyond exam preparation.
“UGA team members, especially Sepanta’s teachers, have opened new horizons for studying and working in the real and future world,” Kambiz says. “They have supported him in finalising his future plan, identifying top universities, and navigating the admissions process.”
Sepanta is now focused on engineering — electrical, mechanical, or physics-based — with his sights on universities in Europe, Australia, and the UAE. Roadmap sessions with the UGA team have helped translate that ambition into a concrete, structured plan.
What has grown alongside his academic clarity is something quieter but perhaps more valuable: self-confidence. “U Global Academy gave Sepanta new horizons to the real world,” says Kambiz, “and increased his self-confidence.” The ability to think logically about his future — to engage with experienced mentors and form reasoned views — is something Kambiz does not believe a traditional school environment would have cultivated in the same way.
A Message to Other Parents
Kambiz is measured in his advice to other GCC families considering a similar path. He is not evangelical about alternative schooling — he knows it is not for everyone. “It depends on many factors,” he says. “The student’s personality and attitude, the school environment, teaching quality, and the parents’ aims.”
But for families in a situation like his — where a motivated, capable student has genuinely tried traditional school and found it wanting — he is clear: the conversation is worth having.
“If the student has tried their best at school and still feels they are wasting their time, homeschooling can be the right path. U Global Academy will not promise 100% guaranteed success — but it helps students find the proper ways to the future. The student, ultimately, is the one who makes the difference. U Global Academy gives them the tools and the direction to do that.”