The Ministry of Education signed a joint memorandum of understanding with the UAE Board on Books for Young People on the 8th March within the “Read”, “Dream” and “Create” initiative launched by the Board. This MOU aims to activate the partnership between the Ministry and the Board, to improve the educational system in a manner that will comply with the latest developments of our times; conform with scientific and global standards, and the Board’s keenness to participate in such efforts through the provision of appropriate support from its scientific expertise and qualified human cadres.
The signing ceremony took place at the Ishbilia Primary School with H.E Marwan Ahmad Al Sawaleh, Undersecretary of the Minister of Education for Academic Affairs, signing on behalf of the Ministry and H.E Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY Executive Board, signing on behalf of the Board.
H.E Marwan Al Sawaleh said that the MOU comes in conjunction with the start of the National Month for Reading, whereby the Ministry has created many initiatives aimed at encouraging and instilling the passion for reading in students. He added that the MOU comes as a result of the Ministry’s attempts to establish cooperation with various institutions to provide the educational process with further expertise, to improve the academic results of students.
His Excellency explained that the Ministry, through entering into a number of MOUs and agreements, sought to consolidate the efforts of all concerned institutions regarding education in the country, to achieve the Ministry’s objectives aimed at improving education in the country and all related supporting activities which are as important as all other elements of the educational process. This comes based on our commitment to comply with the directive of the wise leadership who consider education and reading a major element towards moving into an era of knowledge economy, by providing student with the required skills and knowledge to do so.
Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY Executive Board, stated: “This memorandum comes as a continuation of the Board’s work towards enhancing the habit of reading in students, and as a confirmation of the Board’s pivotal role in cooperation with the Ministry of Education in spreading the culture of reading, and improving the educational process in the UAE”.
Al Aqroudi added: “We will participate through the Read, Dream and Create initiative, and based on what has been agreed upon within the memorandum, in many different workshops targeted at all members of society, such as teachers, librarians and others, to contribute to increasing expertise and facilitate the exchange of technical and scientific advise between cadres and individuals, whether from the Board or Ministry of Education, to support implementation of joint events”.
Articles of the memorandum stipulated that both parties are to cooperate in encouraging and regulating story reading implemented by permanent members of the Board with winners of the Etisalat Children’s Books Award to be selected by both parties and contacted directly. The Board will also provide free books, after approval of the same through a technical committee from the Ministry of Education, to libraries at Ministry schools during the International Children's Book Day held on 2nd April of each year, in addition to many other articles that comply with the vision and aspirations of both parties.
13/03/2017