Dubai: A comprehensive development plan for the education sector will bring about massive changes that will benefit future generations of Emirati students.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was briefed on the plan yesterday (Monday) during a visit to the Ministry of Education.
The plan will be implemented this year and will bring about massive changes in school curricula, educational streams, as well as student and school evaluation systems.
Upon his arrival at the ministry, Shaikh Mohammad was received by Hussain Ebrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education; Jameela Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education; and Ahmad Abdullah Humaid Bel Houl Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education.
The changes approved by Shaikh Mohammad introduce new curricula in technology, innovative design, health sciences, business management, life skills and career guidance.
Another change will be merging the streams of science and literature into a unified stream, in addition to introducing a stream for exceptional elite students. During the coming period, teaching will gradually be bilingual, with a focus on national identity and Emirati characteristics of openness, tolerance and keeping abreast with educational and technological developments.
Shaikh Mohammad was briefed on steps taken to set up a centre for specialised training to develop the abilities of teachers in line with international standards.
Shaikh Mohammad issued directives on the importance of communicating with those operating in the education sector, the students’ parents and the community to brief them on the magnitude of changes that are taking place in the education process.
Shaikh Mohammad instructed teachers on the importance of cooperation in the implementation of the comprehensive development plan in UAE schools’ curricula in order to achieve the desired goals.
Shaikh Mohammad also called on parents to cooperate with education bodies and schools in order to ensure the plan’s success, which will benefit future generations by boosting their opportunities.
“Our future begins in schools, and everyone must bear the responsibility for future generations and citizens, and we have confidence in our teachers bringing about a real change,” said Shaikh Mohammad.
“The Ministry of Education is the largest ministry in the UAE, comprising three ministers. It also bears the biggest responsibility, and all government bodies will be supportive in bringing about real change in education because education is what ensures the continuity of the UAE’s development and will provide a foundation for achieving aspirations in all fields,” added Shaikh Mohammad.
The Vice-President pointed out that developing the education process is inevitable and not a matter of choice. He said that such development requires determination, and indicated that there is no room for excuses. “We are looking forward to a generation that possesses skills for the future and an education field that is supportive and able to keep abreast with changes and developments,” he said.
Al Hammadi emphasised that the process of development is a part of the ministry’s efforts to achieve the objectives of the National Agenda, using national criteria, curricula and a new assessment policy that are in line with the highest standards of quality. He pointed out that the presence of high standards in assessment policies, curricula and criteria contributes directly and indirectly to achieving National Agenda indexes.
Shaikh Mohammad was then briefed by Al Falasi on the status of the higher education sector, with a focus on scholarships and new specialisations for the scholarships abroad programme. Al Falasi said that the scholarships serves the UAE’s approach for the future and helps bolster its position in the global competitiveness index.
He added that the ministry plans to increase the number of applicants for Mmsters and PhD degrees abroad by 50 per cent during the next five years, with a focus on particular specialisations such as space science, innovation, medicine, agriculture and clean technology.
The meeting was attended by Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, and a number of officials in the field of education.
Points in focus:
Literature and science streams will be cancelled, 2016-2017 academic year will serve as a point of transition to the new ‘general’ and ‘advanced’ streams
Grade 10 to 12 students in 2016-2017 will study as per the old stream system, and the new streams system will be introduced for Grade 10 students in 2017-2018
Subjects updated and elective courses to be introduced
Comprehensive development for the kindergarten system
A new policy for evaluating kindergartens that will take into consideration the participations of parents
Introducing a comprehensive programme for gradual reading at all levels of education
Geography, history, social science and economy to be merged into a single course called Social Studies and National Education
A curriculum for computer science and programming to be introduced, with the aim of wiping out programming illiteracy in future Emirati generations within 10 years
Health science curriculum that will allow students to become the first responder in cases of medical emergencies that they might encounter
