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500 nationals will be recruited as teachers

DUBAI— A new educational initiative has been launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for recruitment of 500 national teachers as part of a larger effort to end unemployment among qualified educated nationals languishing without jobs for years due to economy measures and lack of vacancies.

Announcing the initiative at a Press conference yesterday, Education Minister Dr Hanif Hassan said that the number of national men and women who would be appointed under the initiative in the educational field would jump to 1300 in the next academic year.

''Under Shaikh Mohammed's initiative, the education ministry will offer 800 job opportunities to national men and women every year,'' he disclosed. He explained that the ministry had laid down fresh measures and criteria for appointing national job-seekers. ''The standards will be applied to all teachers including those coming under the umbrella of Shaikh Mohammed's initiative,'' the minister said.

Speaking about these prerequisites, the minister emphasised that a teacher should obtain an educational qualification and undergo training in modern teaching methods.

The ministry, he added, had conducted a census on graduates of faculties of education and holders of educational diplomas before the initiative was announced. This revealed that many male and female graduates had been waiting their turn since five to six years.

''Incentives and allowances schedule and other financial matters will be reconsidered under the new teacher's job structure,'' he maintained. The minister said job-seekers holding non-educational qualifications would be trained in modern teaching methods. At the end of the day, he noted, a qualitative education will take root. ''We seek cooperation with other government ministries to put this initiative in place by provision of the required financial and professional jobs, he added.

The minister said the process of assessment of teachers' performance would be changed to meet the aspired objectives. All male and female teachers will be put through training courses on modern applications of technology and up-to-date teaching methods.

''It is illogical to find that some principals and teachers don't know how to use computers or speak other languages to allow them access to other knowledge and cultures,'' he said, disclosing that a group of teachers were sent to the United States last week to get first hand information on the latest developments in the sector.

He announced that schemes that were on hold because of lack of financial allocations would be put into action immediately if the educational process needed them.

''A comprehensive plan was presented to the leaders of the country ... it features many ambitious indicatives which will be made public in the next period. The final goal is to have independent schools enjoying a well-qualified educated administrative and teaching staff. The ministry is currently conducting a detailed survey to assess the real requirements of schools on the ground of facts and not arbitrary data, '' he said. Retired and terminated teachers would be welcome if they want to rejoin, the minister added.

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