As
many as 12 female teachers have completed
an 18-month training program carried out by the Ministry of Education in collaboration
with Microsoft. During the program, the participants gained advanced skills in
the use of smart learning technology in classrooms in line with the ministry's
intention to develop the competencies of the education cadres in the areas of education
and smart learning technology.
The
program is part of a partnership between the Ministry of Education and
Microsoft that addresses common goals to promote international best practices
in the development and use of technology in UAE schools. It focuses on preparing
teachers and enabling them to integrate Microsoft technologies and educational
programs in classrooms, from kindergarten through high school.
The
ceremony, organized by Microsoft at its headquarters in Dubai to mark the
graduation of the participants, was attended by HE Marwan Ahmad Al-Sawaleh,
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Academic Affairs, Mark East,
Microsoft
Education General Manager in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and a number of concerned
people.
"The Ministry of Education has endeavored to establish the
foundations of a smart educational system through a series of measures that
will pave the way for a quantum leap in the field of smart learning", said
Al Sawaleh.
"For
this purpose, the ministry has collaborated with several leading IT establishments,
particularly Microsoft, to provide both teachers and administrative staff with
the necessary skills to use smart learning tools in accordance with high
quality global methodologies", he
added.
Al Sawaleh emphasized that based on the future foresight vision of His Highness HE Marwan Ahmad
Al-Sawaleh, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the
ministry developed a solid approach to master the change towards smart learning
at schools through building a smart system to be the cornerstone for raising a
generation capable of leading its future.
He explained that the partnership program
with Microsoft reflects the Ministry of Education's keenness on collaborating
with international think tanks in order to complete the process of transformation
into smart learning by taking advantage of the experience of the world's most
prestigious companies, adding that this would reflect positively on students and
enable them to gain the technology-based skills of the 21st century.
Meanwhile,
East said successful education would always be based on dedication and on
arming teachers and leaders with the necessary talents and convenient tools to
make learning useful and effective.
"Our
ultimate goal is to be a key factor in digital transformation in classrooms by
empowering teachers and introducing the latest technologies to educational
institutions. The teacher training program is the cornerstone of this effort.
We congratulate the teachers who graduated today and possessed the tools and
skills required to enable today's students to become innovators and future
leaders", he added.
Celebrating
the conclusion of the training program, the Ministry of Education and Microsoft
announced another program under Microsoft's teacher training initiative. The
program will see the participation of 20 teachers from the Ministry of
Education who can develop their skills in the use of smart learning tools and
learn how to apply innovative ways of learning through which technology is
harnessed to create special and unique classrooms.
19/09/2019