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Moral education across schools by Sept 2017

Abu Dhabi - The moral education programme focuses on educating children about values that are part of UAE culture and religion

The UAE moral education programme will be implemented across private and public schools by September 2017. The rollout of the programme is set to begin in January 2017 in 20 schools.
During a Press conference held on Wednesday in the Capital, Minister of Education Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi explained the process of the programme and why it is crucial to educate children about morals and responsibilities. "Schools in the UAE excel in many curricula, such as science and mathematics, but we must also excel in moral education."
Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Vice-Chancellor of UAE University, said: "We want people to say 'this person is Emirati,' not by his clothing or appearance, but by his morals and conduct.
"Yes, we do need schools to build morals for young children, but we also need parents as caretakers to implement the moral programme - this includes maids who spend a lot of time with children at home."
On the sidelines of the conference, Al Hammadi told Khaleej Times: "We are living in a neighbourhood where there are a lot of negative activities, influences and ideologies and we need to ensure we are protecting and shielding everyone in the UAE from any external negative influences."
The minister pointed out that the country has embarked on a sounding and holistic educational plan. As a pilot phase, 20 schools will have the programme implemented - eight in Dubai and 12 in Abu Dhabi. By September 2017, every school in the UAE will be teaching the programme for cycles one and two.
Fatima Al Marri, CEO of the Dubai School Agency of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), told Khaleej Times that society is quickly developing and it can often be a dangerous one for our youth. "Children need to learn how to communicate with the external environment, so they can make wise decisions that are based on their values that are part of our culture and religion."
- jasmine@khaleejtimes.com