Shaikha Bodour opens first smart classrooms in Sharjah kindergarten

The opening of the smart classrooms comes as a gesture from Shaikh Sultan who ordered the expansion of Al Darary Kindergarten.

Read more...

By (Wam)

Published: Sat 10 May 2014, 9:51 PM

Last updated: Fri 3 Apr 2015, 9:49 PM

Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), Founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, has inaugurated the first four classrooms equipped with Horouf’s interactive educational applications at Al Darary Kindergarten in Sharjah.

The opening of the smart classrooms comes as a gesture from His Highness Shaikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, who ordered the expansion of Al Darary Kindergarten that involves the introduction of four classrooms and other facilities.

The opening of the new classrooms was attended by Saeed Musabah Al Kaabi, Chairman of Sharjah Education Council; Fawzia Hassan Gharib, Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Operations at the Ministry of Education; Aisha Saif, Secretary-General of Sharjah Education Council and Head of the Executive Committee of the Ruler’s Initiative; Noora Al Merri, Director of Sharjah Educational Zone; Mona Suhail, Deputy Director of the Sharjah Education Zone; and Fatima Al Naimi, Principal of the Kindergarten; accompanied by educators.

A female student delivered a short speech at the end of the opening ceremony. She extended heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Sultan for his generous initiative of distributing tablets with installed interactive applications for students in kindergartens and schools in the Emirate of Sharjah. She also thanked Shaikha Bodour for honouring them with this visit and inaugurating the first classrooms equipped with Horouf’s innovative interactive educational application.

Shaikha Bodour Al Qasimi watched a short theatrical show inspired by Self Narrative (Sard Al That), the autobiography of the Ruler of Sharjah, performed by a group of students.

Shaikha Bodour Al Qasimi toured the four classrooms, which have been fully equipped with TV screens and tablets to produce an integrated interactive educational experience based on Horouf’s smart applications. Shaikha Bodour listened to a briefing about the development of these classrooms into smart classrooms and how they have been provided with equipment and technologies to deliver first of its kind smart education experience in the UAE and region.

Shaikha Bodour Al Qasimi said: “This day marks a milestone in the history of education in Sharjah and the UAE as it witnesses the opening of the first interactive kindergarten classrooms based in their theoretical and practical forms, on technology and smart applications. It is a modern and integrated educational system especially designed for children in the Arabic language that helps improve and develop their capacity to cope with the requirements of future growth in all aspects of life in the UAE.”

She added: “We have worked at Horouf to develop the applications with local and international professionals in the field of smart education.” Indicating that Horouf’s applications that is being used in the new classrooms will be a new educational system for teaching in Arabic language towards developing interactive education to encourage students to enrich their cognitive and linguistic skills and encourage them to develop their physical, sensory, and intellectual capabilities and thereby give them the freedom to move and explore.

Shaikha Bodour Al Qasimi went on to add that these applications are the beginning for a series of integrated educational system for classes that will be covered as part of His Highness’s initiative at all schools in Sharjah.

Saeed Mosbeh Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Sharjah Education Council, lauded Shaikh Sultan and his family for supporting education and that Sharjah is making great strides towards becoming a global pioneering in education. He praised the implementation of smart education in Sharjah’s kindergartens, wishing that it will be extended to all kindergartens in the UAE and the Arab world.

Al Kaabi highlighted the effectiveness of this kind of education in teaching children through play -a way of teaching that is beloved by children and helps promote student’s self- esteem through team work. He also praised Al Darary Kindergarten and its outstanding work team that makes the kindergarten a beacon of learning and knowledge. Al Kaabi added that the kindergarten due to its outstanding team work, has become a destination for visitors from the country’s senior leaders, apart from the kindergarten’s active participations in various community events.

Transforming normal classrooms into smart classrooms comes as a result of the immense efforts by the kindergarten’s administration and its keen interest in implementing the initiative of the Ruler of Sharjah.

(Wam)

Published: Sat 10 May 2014, 9:51 PM

Last updated: Fri 3 Apr 2015, 9:49 PM

Recommended for you