Khaleej Times

DUBAI/ABU DHABI, Sep 3: Schools across the country will welcome today around 650,000 students amid the optimism of a new, problem-free academic year. Minister of Education Dr Hanif Hassan and his administrative aides had made sure during their inspection tours of schools in various emirates that arrangements for a smooth start of the new academic year were in place.

In a statement on the occasion, the minister called on educationists and students to do their best in the new year. “We should all together seek to push the education process for more advancement. On your behalf, we send a cable of appreciation to The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the efforts they exert to promote the educational process,” Dr Hanif noted. He called on the parents to fully cooperate with schools for better care for their children.

The ministry had made sure that all schools had received textbooks. The minister wished that books be placed on 

desks as a pleasant surprise to students, but the school department saw that it would be suitable to students to get their books on the first day of school.

Official statistics show that the students admitted at government schools totalled 280,000 (125,683 male and 131,919 female students) in addition to 22,406 in kindergartens. Those students are taught by 25,825 teachers, including 9,113 male teachers and 760 male administrators (principals, assistant principals and secretaries) against 1,746 female administrators (headmistresses and assistant headmistresses of schools and kindergartens).

The total manpower from both sexes in the educational field stands at 28,331. Around 756 government schools

(323 for boys and 326 for girls) and 107 kindergartens are scattered. A total of 370,000 students will join private schools this academic year. A group of students will go back to school today, while others will join next week. Around 500 private schools and kindergartens in the country will receive 370,000 students. The number of teaching and

administrative staff at private education stands at 24,000. The UAE adopts 18 curricula, including the British, American,  European, and Japanese educational systems.

The Minister of Education affirmed the importance of parents’ role in monitoring and following up with their children at home, and the need to be close to them to assess their actual education level. “Development will never be realised without a distinct educational system,” he stated. Dr Hanif stressed on the mission of the ministry, and all the key players in the education field who altogether have one goal, and that is equipping a new generation with creativity and innovation tools. The Minister of Education called on the teachers to care for all students and support them.