Art to be taught in Sharjah public schools

Art Education will be taught in Sharjah public schools from the next academic year, according to Sheikh Isam bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the First GCC Countries School Theatre Festival on Sunday. He said the plan will be "morally and financially" supported by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who has ordered the establishment of art studios in every school.

"All schools will be provided with specialised studios with all facilities to teach art from the next academic year," he said. They will be provided with furnaces for pottery and clay artwork.

Sheikh Isam expressed happiness at the success of the festival which reflected the keenness of GCC countries to develop school theatre and hoped that it will not be the first and the last. He expressed the Sharjah government's readiness to permanently host the festival as well as other Gulf art activities.

"The department is ready to cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Youth on artistic and cultural activities held at local and Gulf state levels."

The Bahrain school theatre team won the prize for the best play and the best production went to the UAE for Julius Caesar.

The best playwright award went to Bahrain for their work entitled Umm Al Khair, and the best set award went to Kuwait.

The festival committee expanded the lead and supporting actor awards to the best three students in each category.

Hamad Abul Razzaq from the UAE won the best lead actor award and Mujtaba Saeed from Saudi Arabia was best supporting actor.

The best make-up award went to Saudi Arabia and the best costume to Qatar. The best lighting award went to Oman and the best music composition to Qatar.

The panel of judges has decided to merge some categories such as make-up and costume into one in the festivals to follow so that more awards can be given to students involved in the work.

Organised by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, the seven-day festival aimed at developing school theatre and highlighting talent.