Dubai sets the pace in education with e-learning platform

Education is a priority for the UAE government which is constantly honing its strategies to meet global standards. The system ensures a safe, conducive yet challenging learning environment to equip a new generation of Arab youth to face the challenges of the future. Underscoring this, a new e-learning platform, www.madrasa.org, has been launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which gives over 50 million Arab students across the world access to 5,000 Arabised educational videos. The material in science, maths, biology, chemistry and physics cater to students from KG to grade 12 and is the result of the Translation Challenge where volunteers across the Arab world translated 11 million words of educational content into Arabic. E-learning is encouraged in the UAE as it expands the reach and provides students the freedom and flexibility to learn at their own pace and convenience. Moreover, a blended learning approach results in greater knowledge retention.

Sheikh Mohammed’s 1000x1000 competition, which will give Arab students the chance to win $1,000 for answering one question a day for 1,000 days, is another incentive to foster learning skills. Such competitions help create a culture of positivity and achievement. Learning is made fun as achievements are celebrated. With this initiative, Sheikh Mohammed has taken learning out of classrooms, and into each home, where the family can come together to discuss subjects and questions. The $1,000 incentive a day is definitely an attraction, and in three years, rather 1,000 days, learning time will also become family time, making bonds stronger — just the right thing to do at a time when social media is keeping family members away from each other. And this is just the beginning, according to Sheikh Mohammed. The UAE leadership is keen to ensure that the next generation is not left behind, but is prepared to take on the world with better technology skills and knowledge.