Teaching methods and curricula need to be updated to meet the demands of a new generation of schools being launched in the UAE, education experts have said.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, announced plans for a Dh1.5 billion investment in new schools, featuring laboratories for robotics, artificial intelligence, health and the environment, on Monday.
Sheikh Mohammed also issued directives for technical academies at colleges to support learners who want to change their careers.
The academies will be open to students and those who want to upgrade their professional skills in line with the job market. Sheikh Mohammed also ordered programmes to be set up in higher education institutions to enable exceptional students to complete graduate degrees in three years.
Norm Dean, chief education officer at Taaleem, an education provider in Dubai, said the plans were in line with the country's forward-thinking approach but said education authorities would have to adapt their strategies.
"I think in the Ministry of Education curriculum there will have to be some work done in terms of revising the curriculum to more readily integrate and incorporate these approaches," Mr Dean said.
"Something that needs to be looked at is how we can support, grow and encourage teachers in there own understanding to integrate these into the curriculum.
"A closer relation between public and private schools will be tremendously advantageous to everybody. There is a lot we can learn from each other."
The ambitious project includes a Dh100m fund to nurture business-oriented minds and develop career paths for 65,000 students in the hospitality, retail, oil and gas and logistics sectors, a move welcomed by Mr Dean.
"In this nation and others, there has been a view that government sector jobs provide a lot of security. The reality is that economically this is not a sustainable model. They are providing opportunities to Emiratis to move into areas where they can develop the private enterprise."
According to new directives technical academies at colleges will also work to support learners who want to change career paths. Exceptional students may be able to fast-track their way to degrees.
Sheikh Mohammed said the investment plan was being rolled out to ensure the country is ready for the challenges of the future.
“Our aim is to introduce a range of new ideas in the next 50 years and foster the development of the new generation, which will accelerate our sustainable economic growth,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“The new generation needs different approaches and tools for the future. When people have doubts due to economic volatility, we accelerate development."
Ron Hodkinson, principal of Ontario International Canadian School, said it is important that schools continue to evolve.
"If it meets the requirements, I believe it's for the right students. I think it's a very innovative and forward-thinking initiative. It's being responsive to society as well as the needs of the pupil," he said.
"Technology will become redundant very quickly so when the road map is laid out, so we have to constantly evolve with it.
"Schools have to evolve but technology doesn’t replace good teaching.
"Probably a challenge in other schools is where do we fit this within the curriculum."
Ms Sheela Menon, principal of Ambassador School in Dubai, said that while all schools might not have access to an artificial intelligence or robotics lab, most schools are making an effort in this direction.
"That is the vision of education this part of the world. We are already working to move away from rote learning," she said.
She backed the move to allow exceptional students to graduate ahead of schedule if they have the ability to do so.
She said that whether it is healthcare or hospitality, in every sector there will be a shift from humans to robotics.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WonderTree%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20April%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Muhammad%20Waqas%20and%20Muhammad%20Usman%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Karachi%2C%20Pakistan%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%2C%20and%20Delaware%2C%20US%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Special%20education%2C%20education%20technology%2C%20assistive%20technology%2C%20augmented%20reality%3Cbr%3EN%3Cstrong%3Eumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowth%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Grants%20from%20the%20Lego%20Foundation%2C%20UAE's%20Anjal%20Z%2C%20Unicef%2C%20Pakistan's%20Ignite%20National%20Technology%20Fund%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
New Zealand squad
Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
