All schools must focus on Emirati culture: Abdullah

Emirati history is full of achievements, experiences and successful stories that can enrich students’ knowledge, provide them with moral lessons, positive values, skills and wisdom, says minister.

Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council has directed all educational institutions in the country, including governmental and private, at all levels, from early education to higher education, to intensify efforts to enhance the national identity, Emirati culture, positive values and the Arabic language among students, and to integrate them in educational curricula,programmesandteachingmethodology.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of the Education and Human Resources Council, Sheikh Abdullah also affirmed that preservation and promotion of the national identity, Emirati culture and the Arabic language are among the most important priorities of the leadership in the UAE.

He said that the Emirati national history is full of achievements, experiences, and successful stories that can enrich students’ knowledge, provide them with moral lessons, positive values, skills and wisdom while taking decisions to enable them to be future leaders and effective contributors in the UAE society.

He pointed out the importance of benefiting from the experiences and expertise of prominent national figures who have awareness of the history of the UAE and knowledge of the Emirati identity, culture, customs, traditions and positive values, and to highlight their role in preparing a generation that carries the flag and adheres to the identity and participates in shaping the future of the nation.

Sheikh Abdullah also stressed the role played by the members of the society, educators, media professionals in combating ideas that seek to destroy family entity, promote practices that are not familiar with the Emirati approach, and lead to deteriorate its interdependence and distort bringing up new generations, thus proposing social paterns that violate normal human instinct and lead to the deterioration of morals and established values.

During the meeting, Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth reviewed the national framework of the Emirati cultural activities in schools which includes a number of school policies of the Emirati cultural activities which are integrated in the academic curricula.

The framework aims to developing the Emirati national identity, cultural values and positive characteristics of the students through a group of activities, contests, events, school trips and workshops in which students will take part in during school timings or ater school in coordination with competent departments.

In this regard Al Kaabi indicated that the framework targets various topics in the Emirati heritage, including traditions, values, social activities, Arabic language, local expressions, folk arts and traditional sports, in addition to enhancing knowledge and awareness of the country’s geography, arts and Emirati literature, and some successful experiences in the country’s history. Sarah Bint Yousif Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology and

Chairwomen of Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) reviewed the ESE’S priorities for the next year, and also explained its priorities that include improving students’ educational achievements and enhancing their skills, close coordination and collaboration with teachers, school management and parents. In atendance were Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education; Sara Awad Issa Musallam, Minister of State for Early Education; Dr Abdulrahman Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation; Shamma Bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and the Secretary-general of the Council and other officials.

In a separate development, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) will launch the 10th edition of the ‘’Junior Culture Guide programme’’, as part of the ‘’Young Builders’’, a youth capacity building programme that combines the initiatives and activities the mosque had launched over the years, providing a plaform for Emirati youth to shine as role models in showcasing the UAE’S noble messages and values.

The SZGMC designed this programme with the aim of investing and directing young people’s abilities during summer vacation. The Centre issues a reference book to the participants, which includes a detailed explanation of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s legacy, general information about the UAE, the traditions and customs of the local community and the aesthetics of Islamic architecture in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) will launch the 10th edition of the ‘’Junior Culture Guide programme’’, as part of the ‘’Young Builders’’, a youth capacity building programme that combines the initiatives and activities the mosque had launched over the years, providing a plaform for Emirati youth to shine as role models in showcasing the UAE’S noble messages and values.

The SZGMC designed this programme with the aim of investing and directing young people’s abilities during the summer vacation. This gives them access to career opportunities as cultural tour guides at large, and lets them know how to organise these tours inside the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

The Centre issues a reference book to the participants, which includes a detailed explanation of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s legacy, general information about the UAE, the traditions and customs of the local community and the aesthetics of Islamic architecture in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. This aims at developing the apprentice’s skills, abilities and knowledge in the history and culture of the UAE. The apprentices also hone their skills in public speaking and communicating with others, and have the opportunity to learn about different cultures.

The programme, which will be launched today and continues until 25th August, targets school students in the age group 11 to 14.

The launch of the programme, which coincides with the International Youth Day, reflects the UAE’S civilised and humanitarian face and the SZGMC’S efforts to instil the true Emirati values in the young generations and develop their knowledge and skills.

Amal Bamatraf, Director of the Cultural Communication Department at SZGMC, said, “The launch of the programme coincides with the International Youth Day to hone the skills of youth in the summer vacation to present a bright image of the tolerant Islamic culture as part of the SZGMC’S mandate to promote the UAE’S message for inter-cultural coexistence and peace.’’

Jamal Al Dahmani, Director of Worshipper and Visitor Services Department at SZGMC, said the programme is based on an early and continuing learning approach to hone the skills and harness energies of young generations through a series of training workshops so to become a well-knowledged junior cultural tour guide that the Centre’s strategy aims to instil the culture of volunteering among youth, by offering young people the chance to volunteer inside and outside the Centre, which helps develop character as well as their social skills and desire for giving.

He added that the SZGMC also works to foster the talents of young people, preparing them for the future, through the Junior Culture Guide Programme, which utilises a special curriculum, coupled with workshops and field training, that develops their ability to shoulder responsibility from an early age and become specialists in cultural tours, and ambassadors of their country.

The total number of graduates from the Junior Culture Guide programme reached 389, he said.