The annual
celebration of the "International Day of People with Disability", on
December third of each year, aims to spread an understanding of disability
issues, the rights of persons with special needs, and the gains from
integration of these people in every aspect of political, social, economic and
cultural communities.
The UAE is among the
first countries concerned with people with disabilities, and made sure to
provide for their care and requirements, with the wise leadership's belief that
this category of citizens deserves all the rights of living like any other
group of society. This was
represented by several initiatives, prizes and forums, including "Princess
Haya Award for Special Education" from the UAE, launched by HRH Princess “Haya
Bint Al Hussein”, aimed at finding qualified competitive environment to provide
opportunities for workers in the private sector in order to raise the level of
services provided for the care and rehabilitation of people with special needs,
under global standards and programs of premium quality. And the State paid special attention to
the rights of this category in higher education, the “Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research” strives to support different groups of
special needs of citizens and residents in all higher education institutions in
the State.
The Ministries of
“Education” and "Higher Education" stressed that they are not
opposing "Down Syndrome" citizen continuing their higher education and
if there are sufficient numbers of students, a new curriculum will be designed
to commensurate with their abilities, both confirmed that they are considering
this issue, and there is ongoing research at the moment.This came after a
special needs student in grade 12 appealed to officials of the Ministries of
“Education” and "Higher Education"
to open doors to students with special needs, to complete their higher
education in universities and colleges in the State.
The Ministries of
“Education” and "Higher Education and Scientific Research” abide to
following the appropriate action in cooperation with stakeholders to provide
diagnostic and educational curricula, methods and techniques for teaching
purposes, and to provide alternate ways of communicating with people with
disabilities, alternative learning strategies, accessible physical environment
and other means necessary to ensure the full participation of students with
disabilities. His Excellency Minister of Higher Education and Scientific
Research Sheikh “Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan” has set up scholarship for the
year (2013-2014) for students with special needs, who were sent to the “United
States” and the “United Kingdom” to complete their studies at the undergraduate
and master's degree.
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