Mansour launches seven educational initiatives

Dubai: The UAE Federal Government is launching seven educational initiatives in schools and universities, with the aim of promoting innovation, announced Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, on the last day of the Government Summit.

Shaikh Mansour also announced a new job post, Chief Executive Officer of Innovation, that will be set up in every government agency this year to meet the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who announced 2015 as the year of innovation.

“Innovation is the secret of remaining on top, which is why the government is working on seven initiatives that aim to encourage innovation in education.”

The seven initiatives are the launch of robot labs in schools and universities, developing a curriculum that promotes innovation, making innovation part of school’s evaluations, launching an annual national innovation exhibition, launching innovation incubators in schools, discovering future innovators from the age of five to seven and, finally, creating extensive training summer camps for innovative youth.

“We want these initiatives to make research, analysis and innovation at the core of an effective learning process,” said Shaikh Mansour during the session titled ‘Innovation in Education’.

Shaikh Mansour stressed the importance of innovation in education by sharing Korea’s experience.

“Korea was one of the countries that supported innovation in education extensively. In the 1970s the average salary per person in Korea was $2 (Dh7.3) a day, that’s around $700 (Dh2,571) a year. Today, the average salary in Korea is $23,000 (Dh84,482) a year. They were able to improve their standard of living with hard work and by focusing on innovation in education.”

He said the UAE also wants everyone to work with the spirit of innovation, which is why they have introduced a new job post.

“We are also introducing a new job post, Chief Executive Officer of Innovation, that will be set up in every government agency this year. We have signed an agreement with Cambridge to train 60 Innovation CEOs. Our goal is for everyone to work with the spirit of innovation.”

Another innovative step that the UAE took, Shaikh Mansour said, was purchasing a Catheter Robot.

“We bought robot 21. Robots one to 20 are all based in the US and 21 is the one in the Middle East. It is located in Al Qasimi Hospital. If that alone is not a source of pride, the doctor operating the device is an Emirati.”

Shaikh Mansour introduced the doctor operating it as Dr Aref, who said the robot helps reduce surgical cost and chances of medical waste by 75 per cent and reduce exposure to radiation by 95 per cent.

Shaikh Mansour said happiness is the ultimate objective of all of the UAE’s strategies, which is why the UAE has allocated Dh9.5 billion for its infrastructure.

“We have used 5.4 billion so far and the remaining will be used as part of a programme that aims to pay off nationals’ loans. We have paid off loans worth Dh2.4 billion”

At the beginning of the session, Shaikh Mansour shared a story from Shaikh Zayed’s life as a leader, when agriculture experts told the leader planting in the desert climate was impossible.

“Shaikh Zayed thanked them for their expert advice but he still kept on trying and we have succeeded with the will of god. Today I present you with three Emirati women who have specialised in the use of genetics in agriculture in the US, a specialisation that we really need in the UAE.”

Shaikh Mansour said the three Emiratis are now working in Khalifa Centre for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in UAE University. He said they are currently experimenting in modifying the genetics of local desert plants and they have started with the Markh tree.

“We trust our wise leadership and trust UAE citizens to bring about success and achievements.”