DP World announces programme to educate 34,000 kids by 2020

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DP World announces programme to educate 34,000 kids by 2020

Visitors at the Arab Media Forum on May 10, 2016. Juidin Bernarrd/ KT

Dubai - The launch of the programme follows the publication of a DP World/YouGov survey of parents of six to 14 year olds in the MENA region.

By Staff Reporter

Published: Tue 10 May 2016, 1:45 PM

Last updated: Wed 11 May 2016, 11:07 AM

At the Arab Media Forum in Dubai, DP World announced an education programme to educate 34,000 children aged eight to 14 by 2020, in which employees will use their volunteer leave to deliver a wide range of modules in local schools.
Working with a specialist agency and consulting with teachers, the educational material covers a number of topics including port, trade, and logistics.
The modules will each come with guidance and delivery notes, lesson plans, student activities and worksheets, and will be implemented this year in seven languages, including Arabic, English, Hindi, Mandarin, French and Spanish.
The first lessons have been piloted in the UAE , India, Pakistan, Senegal, the UK, Argentina and the Philippines and will be rolled out from June across the rest of DP World's network in over six continents.
"Education is one of the four focus areas of our community investment strategy - part of the Our World, Our Future global sustainability programme. As a leader in global trade and logistics, we want to ensure that our people and our resources support education," DP World Group Chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem said at the Arab Media Forum. "Raising awareness about the maritime sector, trade and logistics, and related career options is important for us as a business and also the communities in which we operate around the world. We expect this programme to make a genuine impact, creating lasting change and an understanding of how the modern world works for the benefit of future generations."
Other topics include port management, sustainability, and careers in trade and logistics and the maritime sector, as well as geography, mathematics, design and technology.

The specific programme modules cover:

Location, location - exploring the geographical features that make a good location for a new port
Which port am I? - aimed at encouraging an understanding that ports help global trade by linking countries around the world
Maritime maths - using simple maths to explain how a container ship is loaded safely
Correct containers - generating an understanding of how goods are traded between countries around the world
Super saver - exploring how maths helps to improve the efficiency of container transport
Go green - promoting understanding of how ports and shipping can be sustainable, and what sustainability means
Ports at work - learning about different jobs which help a port to function well
Supplying the demand - understanding what it takes using maths and geography to move goods around the world
United for Wildlife - learning about illegal wildlife trade and understanding ways to tackle it.

The launch of the programme follows the publication of a DP World/YouGov survey of parents of six to 14 year olds in the MENA region which indicates that less than 30 percent of school children in MENA understand what trade and logistics mean.
The launch of the programme follows the publication of a DP World/You Gov survey of parents of 6 -14 year olds in the Middle East and North Africa which shows that less than 30% of parents of school children in MENA region understand what trade and logistics means.
"We share a passion for educating young people about how business works and the exciting opportunities it can present, particularly in the world of supply chains and logistics. The game aims to inspire, excite and educate young people by challenging them with difficult decisions similar to those they will be faced with in employment," Bin Sulayem added.
Additionally, DP World is partnering with the UK creators of an innovative board game - Business On The Move - designed to each children about the complexglobal supply chain. The aim of the game is for players to move goods and supplies around the world as quickly and as profitably as possible.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com