Mohammed issues decree formulating Expo 2020 preparatory committee
In his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued Decree No (49) of 2013 on the formation of "Expo 2020 Preparatory Committee" under supervision of Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Mohammed’s decree is the starting step of Dubai’s practical preparations to host the world’s largest and most prestigious exhibition and the events and activities accompanying it.
Pursuant to the Decree, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, is assigned chairman of the committee and Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of His Highness the Ruler's Court as vice chairman.
Further, the committee is composed of Minister of State, Reem Al Hashimy, Chief Commander of Dubai Police Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Director General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of Road and Transport Authority, Mattar Al Tayer, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation, Khalifa Al Zaffin and Director General of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre Helal Saeed Al Marri.
The Committee will set the required strategic plans to organise and prepare for hosting Expo 2020 and will also evaluate the suitability and efficiency of Dubai’s infrastructure, including touristic, medical and transport facilities. The committee will also determine the emirate’s technical, security and economic requirements to present the international event in the best ways possible. Additionally, the committee will organise and coordinate efforts between various public and private entities, inside and outside Dubai, in all aspects related to Expo 2020.
The committee’s specialty also includes defining the programmes, activities and events that will be held on the sideline of Expo 2020, supervising advertising campaigns locally, regionally and internationally to promote the exhibition, supervising the promotion campaigns for the events taking place during the exhibition and coordinate efforts with the organisations specialised in this field.
The committee will submit its reports periodically to His Highness the Ruler of Dubai to brief him on the progress and outcomes of its efforts, in addition to any suggestions, to insure the success of the exhibition.
The decree asserted on the importance of full cooperation and coordination between all Dubai Government’s bodies to attain the objectives of the committee. Article (9) of the decree abrogate Decree No (2) of 2012 on the formation of Expo 2020 preparatory committee and its attached amendments; moreover, the new decree nullifies any other law or legislation that contradicts and/or challenge the rules and regulations prescribed in Decree No (49) of 2014. This decree is effective from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
Mohammed bin Rashid attends graduation ceremonies
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, today attended ceremonies marking the graduation of the 23rd medical and 18th pharmacology batches of female students, held at Madinat Jumeirah.
Also attending the ceremonies for students graduating from Dubai Medical College and Dubai Pharmacy College, was Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid honoured the top ten graduates at both colleges.
Also attending the ceremonies for students graduating from Dubai Medical College and Dubai Pharmacy College were, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Hajj Saeed Ahmed Lootah, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for both colleges, and senior officials, dignitaries, educationalists along with a large gathering of the graduates' families.
Graduates from the faculty of medicine stood before Sheikh Mohammed and took the Hippocratic Oath.
During the event, Sheikh Mohammed watched a documentary about the development of education in the UAE and then congratulated the 135 graduates, wishing them a promising future, before standing with them for photographs.
Mohammed bin Rashid calls for advanced education system
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has stressed that the development of education sector in accordance with the latest world standards captures the interest of the UAE government.
He added that the UAE aspires to make its education system one of the best educational systems in the world by 2021.
Sheikh Mohammed made the remarks during the Mohammed bin Rashid Policy Majlis, held at Al Bahr Palace in Dubai, under the theme "Future trends of Educational development"
''Our interest in the education sectors and making it a top priority, stems from our belief that the progress and welfare of any nation starts with the development of its educational systems. Hence, the UAE has launched the Smart Education Initiative to match our vision and ambition for better future, which starts from our schools and educational curricula in the light of our national responsibilities towards our citizens in order to prepare them for a new world that requires advanced skills to cope with modern changes and developments in the academic and living domains," he added.
Sheikh Mohammed noted that the radical development of education and achieving an integrated educational system in par with the latest world standard, "is an essential part of our national vision".
Among those who attended the event were Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Obaid bin Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, a number of key figures, officials and experts in the education al field.
During the session, the international expert Saleem Ismail made a demonstration on the future education development trends. He said that the UAE has a promising and huge opportunities to transform into a global knowledge powerhouse given its ability to take bold decisions, in addition to factors of development potentials and successful adoption of modern technology.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme changes education course in UAE
The mechanisms for Smart Education have been implemented in the beginning of current academic year, coinciding with the launch of the first implementation phase of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme in 123 public schools in the UAE.
The programme aims to introduce the best learning standards to the new generation so as to elevate the status of the UAE, contributes to development, whets the state's competitiveness and create innovative and highly educated cadres in line with the cultural values and UAE vision 2012.
The Ministry of Education strives to develop the education system in the UAE through allowing the students to enter into the world of smart digital applications away from the stereotype images of school books. The move transforms the learning process into vital and interactive experience.
Now 123 schools nationwide implement the smart learning programme, involving 11, 402 students, of whom 9, 963 students are in grade 7 and 1, 439 in grade 8 who had the experience last year. Meanwhile, 1, 343 teachers had training sessions in the beginning of this academic year to prepare them for the smart learning methodology.
The Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme prepared 434 classes and provided 11, 402 smart tablets and 1, 343 laptops to the teachers in cooperation with partners of the programme such as Microsoft, HP, Samsung and IT Works.
With the implementation of the smart learning programme in the schools, the programme has embarked on the cooperation and coordination with competent and specialised authorities to ensure success of the programme at all levels. So the programme has struck the agreement with Microsoft to provide training programmes and guides to teachers and students as well. The cooperation would provide benefits in terms of expertise and Microsoft technologies, especially in the areas of training that will cover over 1, 000 teachers.
The programme has also struck a deal with Samsung to provide smart and electronic interactive tablets for the schools that have introduced the smart learning.
Five main subjects: Arabic language, English language, Sciences, Mathematics and National and Social Studies are part of the smart learning programme. The other subjects such as Religion, IT, Music, Visual Arts and Physical Education will be implemented in the next phase.
Recently, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme participated in the HP Conference "HP Discover 2013" held in Barcelona, Spain. The event was a platform for HP managers worldwide, partners and clients of the company to showcase the latest and major achievements of HP during the year
Director-General of the programme, Eng. Mohammed Ghiyath presented a demonstration on the phases of programme as an idea to the practical implementation phase. He highlighted the challenges encountered by the programme and steps taken to overcome them in a record time.
Last November the regional Arab forum in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) endorsed the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme among the best five technological initiatives in the region. This initiative will be presented to the ITU conference, which will be held in Syria this year.
The move is an achievement to the programme. If endorsed by the international conference, it would earn the programme an international status.
Ghiyath said, "the endorsement of the programme by the international conference will open avenues for development sector pertaining to the smart learning. We are proud that the programme was endorsed by the Arab states upon the recommendation from the UAE."