With the presence of HE Jamila Bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for General Education, Dr. Amna Al Dahhak Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Welfare and Activities Sector, Ibrahim Ali Khadem, Deputy Director of the Emirates Airline Festival for Literature and more than 600 members of the educational field, at the Higher College of Technology in Dubai, the Ministry of Education has recently organized a lecture entitled "Why happiness in education", presented by Sir Anthony Seldon, who is an educational expert in happiness and positivity, during which he reviewed the importance of happiness as an effective way to achieve the objectives of educational policy makers that aim at improving students' academic level.
HE Jamila Al Muhairi said: "The Ministry of Education, through its educational policies, has adopted the concept of happiness in education as a central basis for achieving the desired results of raising students' academic, psychological and social well-being, due to the importance of integrating all aspects that form, develop and refine students' personality.
Her Excellency stressed that happiness in education has become of utmost importance and priority, based on specialized studies that indicate its impact on improving the performance of students and their scholastic results by creating a positive atmosphere for education in schools and instilling a spirit of competition in their performance; which will achieve the state's desired educational goals and objectives.
Al Muhairi pointed out to the great interest of the wise leadership in the importance of happiness, rendering it a basis in all government practices. Worth mentioning that the leadership has allocated a Ministry specialized in happiness to follow through several indicators the success of government institutions in transforming their concept into actual practices on the ground. In response, the Ministry has formed a council specialized in happiness and positivity to crystalize vital and effective initiatives involving all educational fields, in order to strengthen the educational system in the country.
She then stressed the need to promote the spirit of happiness in various aspects of the educational process, by dedicating its importance and concept in the field of education, which is the link between educational policies on the one hand and students on the other. Hence, the Ministry has hosted specialists in the field of happiness to provide the field with the essence of their experiences in the field of happiness and its impact on education and educational product.
"This lecture is part of a joint collaboration between Emirates Airline Festival for Literature and the Ministry of Education, with a view to benefit from the presence of experts and specialists who are guests to the festival each year," said Ibrahim Khadem on his part. "We are always keen to increase the literacy of teachers and educators because of their great influence on the transmission of positive spirit and happiness in the individual".
On his part, Sir Anthony Seldon, Director of the Wellington School in the UK, Founder of the Institute of Contemporary British History and Founder of "Work for Happiness" initiative, has praised the outstanding position of the UAE among 200 countries around the world in the education sector and hailing the great efforts of the Ministry of Education in develop its educational system.
Seldon gave a detailed presentation on the importance of happiness in education and its ability to motivate students to broaden their perceptions and unleash their abilities by creating a stimulating learning environment that embraces various positive points in students, transforming them into daily practical practices in their behaviour, so as to develop and utilize them in their performance.
He referred in his lecture to the importance of linking happiness as a collective action to all members of society with the prevailing values, because of their impact on expanding the relationships among the n members of one society, in its different classes, including students, which would open the door to achievements for everyone in his location and as required.
He pointed out that the change in the pattern of education is associated with several factors, the most important of which is the teacher, who is the basis for transferring knowledge to students. Hence, that segment should draw the attention of students to themselves and their ability to excel and achieve excellence in their academic achievement, through the transmitting them a positive energy and convince them of their ability to change, stressing the importance of knowing the future orientations of students in scientific life and encouraging them to achieve what they aspire to through developing their own talents.
Further, Seldon indicated that happiness for students is closely related to good performance. It is necessary to exert some pressure on the students by their teachers in order to carry out what is demanded of them with great skill, which generates, thereafter, a sense of happiness and self-satisfaction at the students, which will reflect positively on their academic career.
Finally, Seldon has urged the members of the educational field to formulate important values to provide a positive atmosphere in education, including instilling the importance of giving in the students and urging them to give, in addition to encouraging them to search for their own way of life, to get out of the box to unleash their ideas and talents and translate them on the ground and to acquire skills as to how to deal with and overcome stress.
19/03/2017