Dubai: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Initiative for Smart Learning programme will be implemented on an additional 100 schools in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the minister of education announced.
Humaid Al Qutami, Minister of Education said that the first stages of implementing the smart learning programme for the academic year 2013/2014 has started during a board meeting held yesterday.
He added that the new phase is based on the feedback of the first pilot phase which took place during the previous academic year in a total of 14 schools.
The Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Smart Learning Programme which is part of the UAE Vision 2021, was launched in 2012 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The initiative aims to shape a new learning environment in public schools through the launch of ‘smart classes’ that will provide every student with an electronic tablet and access to high-speed 4G networks by 2017.
“The importance of moving into smart learning and utilizing modern technology during the changing phases that education is going through so that the UAE can be a leader in education and a knowledge-based society,” Qutami stressed.
Mohammad Gheyath the Director General of the smart learning programme stated: “Since the start of the academic year 2012/13 and no effort has been spared in the implementation of the programme as we have cooperated with strategic partners in order to enable students, teachers and school’s infrastructure to be prepared to transition smoothly into the smart learning environment.”
Other issues discussed at the board meeting included: the steps needed to launch the programme’s next phase and how to promote government policies regarding the nature of the programme.
By Noor Nazzal, Staff Reporter