UAE Smart Learning plan Dubai – Jamal Al Majaida Dubai Press Club (DPC) offered an overview of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Initiative. Held at the Dubai World Trade Center, the conference highlighted the educational targets set for 2021, thanks to cutting-edge educational infrastructures.
As well as allowing free access to information for students, the Learning Initiative seeks to help them master modern technology tools to increase their educational performance.
The session that featured Marwan Al Sawaleh, Ministry of Education Assistant Undersecretary of the for Support Services, and Ali Mihd Suwaidi, Acting Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, offered an insight on the preparation of schools to raise quality levels and drive educational expansion plans across the country.
Sawaleh said: "The initiative aims to facilitate achieving performance in education for students by linking them to advanced program and infrastructure. As part of the initiative, an innovative technology will integrate students and educational institutions to enhance student performance.
"We got the idea from countries such as Korea, Australia and Turkey that use similar technology. Our five year plan aims to ensure that schools across the UAE goes beyond the outcomes of these countries."
Suwaidi said: "The initiative was launched in order to move away from the traditional education system. However, the initiative does not aim to rule out the role of books, teachers and exams. Instead, it aims to contribute to the development of the student mindset through the inclusion of technology in the national curriculum. "
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Initiative on 10 April, 2012. The AED1-billion initiative is set to shape a new learning environment in public schools through the launch of "smart classes" that will provide every student with a tablet and access to high speed 4G networks.
In addition to a host of training programmes for teachers, the initiative will see the introduction of a new science curriculum. The Ministry of Education and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority are jointly mandated to implement the project under the supervision of the Prime Minister's office.