The teacher father of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani education activist who survived a murder attempt by the Taliban when she was 15, said on Saturday that the coronavirus pandemic offers a chance to reflect and improve education for girls.
"We need to learn from Covid-19, it needs to give us an opportunity to reflect. This teaches us how the world leaders should spend money and should invest," Ziauddin Yousafzai, told the T4 Conference, an online teaching convention bringing together 100,000 teachers from at least 67 countries.
The virtual forum sought to make sense of so-called ‘new normal’ in schools when they operate amid a global pandemic.
“There are 259 million children and youth who are not in schools right now,” said Mr Yousafzai.
“The reason isn't because of Covid-19, it is because they don’t have enough schools, they don’t have enough teachers, they don't have enough facilities.”
He decried the “ugly social taboos” and “patriarchal norms” that mean that hundreds of millions of girls have no access to education.
“There are 129 million girls right now are not in schools. And again, the reason is not Covid-19 or a pandemic. These girls are not in school because of the patriarchal governments - governments that invest less in girls’ education,” he said.
He read out a message to the conference from his daughter Malala, 22, who is studying in her final year at Oxford University in the UK.
The letter called governments to keep commitments to students by helping them connect to more remote learning opportunities and ensuring girls can re-enrol when schools are open again. She also urged countries to prioritise education in their coronavirus responses.
With many children not returning to school until September due to the pandemic, governments need to encourage more collaboration and community engagement to help teachers restart classes in a post-coronavirus world, another leading educator said during the conference.
"We are in a transition phase for many countries, leaders, and ministries of education all over the world. Most of the time they've got it right and most of the time they've also got it wrong," Andria Zafirakou, the Winner of the 2018 Global Teacher Prize, said.
Vikas Pota, the host of the T4 event, is the former chief executive of the Varkey Foundation, a global charity that focuses on improving standards of education for underprivileged children. Mr Pota set up the annual $1 million Global Teacher Prize.
“What we really desperately need from you [ministers] is to think about the future. Be brave. Think about 10 years in advance. What do our students need? What do employers want them to have so we know what to be teaching them,” Ms Zafirkou added.
“Give us the opportunities to lead our communities. Give us the opportunities to really do what we know is best for our communities because we can and we've been doing that as well.”
Ms Zafirakou, an Arts and Textiles teacher works at Alperton Community School in northwest London, said that safety of teachers and pupils is paramount when holding classes in the new normal. She called for teachers to all be provided with adequate personal protective equipment so they can carry out their jobs safely.
The British teacher said some schools have been showing leadership by delivering learning devices and food to children’s houses.
A surge in domestic violence fuelled by the strict social isolation measures can mean that some children have to rely on their schools more than their parents to care for them.
Teachers have also helped collaborate with communities by working with nurses and doctors to construct Covid-19 testing stations.
A poll of the conference attendants found that leadership is less of a priority now than collaboration for teachers around the world, as schools grapple with the changes brought by the coronavirus pandemic.
Of the participants, some 35.1 per cent said teacher collaboration was the main priority during the pandemic, while 25.6 per cent said it was teacher well-being. Twenty-two and a half per cent said teacher technology while only 16.9 per cent said teacher leadership.
Fellow panellist Maggie MacDonnell, the Canadian Winner of the 2017 Global Teacher Prize, called on the new normal being "embedded and rooted in wellness" for both teachers and students.
“The pandemic has created an urgency that has allowed us to reflect and be critical. The old normal has plenty of problems so let’s imagine some good new normals,” she said.
“To me, a new normal that would be successful would be embedded and rooted in wellness. When I talk about wellness, I don't just mean student wellness. I mean teacher and student wellness. The way forward is listening to teachers and what they've been advocating for.”
She said such wellness programmes for teachers could look like smaller, more manageable class sizes, adequate pay and ongoing high quality professional development. For pupils, it could mean the encouragement of wellness exercises such as meditation or yoga.
The T4 event featured education leaders speaking from around the world, including Andreas Schleicher, from the directorate of education and skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris (OECD); David Edwards, the general secretary of Education International in Belgium; and Hiba Ballout, the science co-ordinator at Saint George Schools in Lebanon.
Banky W, the Nigerian rapper, actor and philanthropist, also addressed the subject of “Why Teachers Matter”.
Four out of five teachers around the globe believe it is not yet safe to return to the classroom because of the pandemic, a poll carried out by T4 earlier this month showed.
Dhadak
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khattar, Ashutosh Rana
Stars: 3
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Day 3 stumps
New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)
Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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Asia Cup Qualifier
Final
UAE v Hong Kong
TV:
Live on OSN Cricket HD. Coverage starts at 5.30am
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Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
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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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
