Moral classes to bring out the best in pupils

Education minister says ethics will teach life skills

DUBAI // Teaching moral education classes will help to reduce absenteeism among pupils, reinforce positive personal traits and equip youngsters with practical life skills, the Minister of Education told a forum in Dubai. Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi said children must be taught the difference between good and bad, to respect human rights and refrain from aggressive behaviour.

“The world has been facing many challenges recently. We as residents in the UAE must protect our children from the dangers surrounding them. It is an extremely wise decision by our leadership to introduce this programme.” Mr Al Hammadi was speaking at the launch of the 2017 School Principals’ Forum. The event included senior officials from 1,300 public and private schools from across the emirates to draw up plans for moral education classes as part of the national curriculum, due to begin in September.

“We all share a large responsibility to raise a generation of citizens and residents and enable them to build a future that is full of scientific and intellectual achievements, and to achieve a sustainable, happy and productive society in the UAE,” said Mr Al Hammadi. “The new curriculum will be specially structured to equip youth with practical life skills and include schools from across the seven emirates.”

Teachers welcomed the inclusion of the new subject, especially as it involves taking pupils out into the community. “Moral education encompasses teaching morality in classes and taking students to participate in humanity-related initiatives, such as distributing food to labourers, reading to the blind and visiting the elderly,” said Nadine Richards, principal at Al Maaref Private School in Dubai, which was chosen to pilot the programme.

Dr Lesley Snowball, principal inspector at Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said schools were eager to get more information from the Ministry of Education about the new addition to the curriculum.

Ebtisam Hamad, principal at Al Ahliya Private School in Sharjah, said the classes would demonstrate the importance of respecting one another.