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Mena region tops in education spend

Investing in the region’s future generations and equipping them with the best tools for success is one of the key factors which sees the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region top the list when it comes to public expenditure on education reforms.

With the rest of the world securing an average of 14.2 per cent in relation to education investment, government spending on the sector in the Mena region witnesses an increase of over four per cent on this figure, with a total spend of 18.6 per cent, according to statistics released by the World Bank.

In the UAE specifically, technology has taken a front seat in the classroom, with heavy emphasis on modernising the country’s education system. One of the most significant investments made by the government recently was the launch of the Smart Learning Initiative — part of the UAE’s Vision 2021.

The initiative will see students in public schools across the emirates provided with an electronic tablet with access to high-speed networks.

To support the initiative and reach out to parents and students, the Gulf Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) and the Ministry of Education’s Global Education Forum (GEF) will be holding the regions leading education exhibition under the theme “Smart Learning and Technological Advances in Education” between March 5—7 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The exhibition will be under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

news@khaleejtimes.com