Stress on use of tech in education sector

DUBAI - Dr Ali Abdul Aziz Al Sharhan, Minister of Education and Youth, has attended a session organised by the Dubai Centre for Training and Rehabilitation for teachers and academics on how to use computers and technology in the educational sector.

By A Staff Reporter

Published: Fri 21 Feb 2003, 3:31 AM

Last updated: Mon 20 Nov 2023, 3:37 PM

Present at the session were Dr Jammal Al Muhairi, the ministry's under-secretary, Dr Shaikha Al Shamsi, Assistant Under-secretary for Educational Programmes and Curricula at the Ministry, and Khawla Al Moala, Assistant Under-secretary for Educational Administration.

Al Moala said that utilising technology in the educational sector is one of the ministry's priorities to reach the strategic goals of the 'Educational Vision 2020'.

"The ministry has been seeking to provide schools with advanced communicative systems along with conducting training courses for teachers and consultants to familiarise them with using technology in the academic field," said Al Moala.

Consultants presenting the course made a brief presentation on the outcome of the implementation of the first phase of the IT programme, adding that a larger number of teachers and educationists will undergo courses at the second phase of the project. They pointed out that more than 200 technical programmes will be conducted during the next three years.

A statistical study conducted by three colleges and covering 176 schools was introduced in the course. The study concluded that more than 49 per cent of the teaching and administrative staff lack qualifications and skills required for practically implementing the advanced plans of the ministry, in accordance with the 'Educational Vision 2020'.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Youth (MoEY) is considering a plan to develop the syllabus of Information technology and to teach the subject in English language for students in all educational stages.

The plan is scheduled to be implemented from the next academic year starting September 2003, according to a decision taking at a recent meeting of the higher committee for the development of basic and secondary education.

The meeting was chaired by Dr Ali Abdul Aziz Al Sharhan, Minister of Education. The committee members expressed their reservations concerning the implementation date of the projects, voicing their concerns that it should be preceded by necessary measures such as training the teachers, technical and administrative staff, an official at the ministry said.

Dr Al Sharhan stressed the importance of introducing such programmes to highlight the concept of school culture and to encourage the use of the technologies which complement the educational process.