As world education trends move towards science, technology, engineering and math, arts and sport must not be shoved to the side, as integrating them into school curriculums has been shown to help students better connect with their work and increase their well-being and academic performance.
Schools need to dedicate more time for Arabic language classes and return to basic grammar tests if they are to support struggling pupils. Experts and teachers at the Gulf Comparative Education Society symposium, organised by the Al Qasimi Foundation, spoke of the vital need to improve academic achievement of Arab pupils from grade 1.
A new education study presented at the Gulf Comparative Education Society Symposium seeks to understand why some teachers appear to write off pupils, especially Emirati boys, that underperform in school.
The sixth Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival came to a close on Friday. This year the event was extended over two weeks and included a variety of workshops for students and inspiring artists, including photography and more. The festivities, open to the public, counted renowned Emirati fashion designers Eman and Elham Al Flamrzi as well as actors Jamal Alghailan, Mansoor Al Feeli, and Sumaya Al Khinna among its attendees.
A photography workshop, part of Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival, is the latest in series of classes aimed at changing the fortunes of at-risk students. The class is part of the Hands on Learning pilot program, which has been running since 2014. The scheme was launched by the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research in response to a 2013 study on male student dropouts in the UAE.
The annual Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival is back to showcase the work of 84 local and international artists, musicians and filmmakers from over 30 countries. This year's theme is recycled art, encouraging artists to rediscover their inspiration via reused materials while contributing to the conservation of natural resources and endorsing social responsibility
At the Ras Al Khaimah Fine Arts Festival “the Festival offers residents living in the UAE a way to stay connected to the growing artistic scene in the region and it serves as a springboard for their careers,” said Suqrat bin Bisher, director of the Festival. Among the participating artists, there has been no lack of Hispanic representatives, who contribute imagination and sensitivity with a unique sense of style.
The Al Qasimi Foundation spent 2017 giving back to our community, investing in our research and programmatic endeavors, while deepening our engagement in issues related to education, philanthropy, community development, the arts, and culture.
A study conducted at the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research revealed significant differences in fathers’ involvement across the region and a change over time in the role Arab fathers play in their children’s lives. It also demonstrated the important impact that involvement has on the self-esteem and educational attainment of children throughout their lives.
Year 4 pupils in the UAE are the best readers among their peers in the GCC and their literacy skills are only improving, according to the latest results of an international test. With the emirates having experienced significant education reforms in the past few years it is probably too early to judge the impact of their education reforms yet.