Summer activities to engage 20,000 children

Abu Dhabi: A range of activities and workshops will keep nearly 20,000 children occupied in the emirate of Abu Dhabi this summer, while also encouraging them to pursue voluntary work and develop skills of their own.

The activities are part of the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s (Adec) summer programme, Sayfuna Mumayaz, which is set to kick off on June 29 across 83 different venues. The 14th edition of the summer initiative will be organised to coincide with timings during the month of Ramadan, and includes a number of new elements for participants, said Dr Amal Al Qubaisi, director-general at the Adec.

“The programme aims to help children expend their energy in a positive manner. At the same time, they can develop their hobbies and positive behaviours. It also makes activities like English language learning enjoyable,” she said. The month-long initiative is divided into various types of sessions, and many of these will make special provisions for special needs participants. Children of all ages can attend.

Salem Al Daheri, executive director of school operations at the Adec, told Gulf News that the activities will be offered free, and are open to pupils from both public and private schools. Interested participants can register online, or through the various Adec offices.

The workshops to promote national identity can accommodate 500 children, and will teach them about UAE heritage and values for the month of Ramadan, whereas the sessions on hobby development will offer lessons in cooking, media skills and other arts. They are open to about 1,200 attendees.

The achievement sessions, titled Injaz, can help up to 3,700 pupils improve their English language and social media proficiencies. Swimming, jiu jitsu and other physical activities will be offered at 44 different centres to 14,000 pupils, while career counsellors will help about 3,200 children select their future professions and fields of study. Finally, an element known as Real Madrid will engage about 576 pupils from 33 schools in sports competitions.