UAE Ministry of Education promotes e-learning, launches educational materials in digital form, saying country's literacy rate has increased, making easy-access reading, educational materials available through mobile devices important for students
Aimee Bellah
United Arab Emirates
,
June 7, 2014
(Khaleej Times (United Arab Emirates))
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The UAE Ministry of Education announced on Thursday plans to digitise textbooks and provide learners with new education tools.
Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami, Minister of Education, inaugurated the first digital version of a set of e-books for adult education.
Speaking about the initiative, Al Qatami said, "The ministry has recorded numerous milestones over the years including strengthening of adult education and literacy. It has received praises from international organisations, with the newly released report by Unesco showing a marked decline in the rate of illiteracy in the UAE. The illiteracy rate has been narrowed down to less than 1 per cent."
The ministry, Etisalat UAE, and United Group for Education signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to formalise the process of transformation. The MoU was signed by Al Qattami, Abdullah Salem Al Maneh, Director-General of Telecommunications Dubai on behalf of Etisalat; and Mohamed Elewa, Director of United Group.
Abdullah Al Manih, managing director, Etisalat Dubai, said, "The partnership and the role of Etisalat to make studying easier and accessible to students any time is important. Through this partnership, the curriculum will be available through smart phones and modern electronic devices that come within the package of smart services implemented by the Ministry of Education."
The ministry is adopting modern practices in the adult education segment, particularly by promoting e-learning techniques as opposed to the traditional teaching methods. This would provide better educational opportunities for learners and associates of night schools.
Mohammed Al Khumair, Director of School Management, said: "The idea of e-learning in higher education and home-schooled education is part of a comprehensive initiative implemented by the Ministry of Education. The initiative aims to provide a proper and effective e-learning platform through the use of modern technology. A modern education enables students to access their lessons anytime, any place electronically but it still contains all the components of a regular classroom."
The signing was attended by Marwan Al Sawalih, Undersecretary of the ministry; Ali Mehad Al Suwaidi, Assistant Undersecretary for Special Education; and Amal Al Qous, Assistant Undersecretary for Sector Activities and School Environment.
Mohammed Alewa said: "The joint venture provides an outstanding example for e-learning which includes digitising a selection of tutorial subjects. This gives the ministry proper methods to allow students to obtain textbooks as digital content as well as provide a digital library of comprehensive course material accessible using various smart devices."
muaz@khaleejtimes.com
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