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UAE: Hundreds of students in remote areas to access internet via satellite

Initiative taken up by Emirates Schools Establishment and Al Yah Satellite Communications

Around 300 students in remote areas of the UAE will get access to high-speed internet via satellite to support smart learning in the country.

This initiative has been taken by Emirates Schools Establishment and Al Yah Satellite Communications, which is listed on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.

The collaboration, which began in 2020 and was extended into the 2021 academic year, has helped to drive inclusion and accessibility across the government body’s operations and to connect homes with no access to affordable broadband connectivity. This has allowed students to seamlessly continue remote learning from home during the pandemic.

The collaboration through this academic year was made possible through the support of Jameela bint Salem Al Muhairi, UAE Minister of State for Public Education, Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Chairman of Yahsat and Ali Al Hashemi, group CEO of Yahsat.

“The Emirates Schools Establishment is keen to provide its services to students regardless of their location within the UAE. In cooperation with Yahsat, and by adopting the latest technology and innovations, we look forward to supporting this mission to provide students with sustainable education while enhancing their well-being and granting them access to smart learning platforms provided by the Emirates Schools Establishment through Yahsat’s high-speed internet services,” Al Muhairi said.

She added, “The Emirates Schools Establishment is also keen to build bridges of cooperation with various organizations in the country to achieve its goal to improve the quality of education in line with best practices, adding more value to the educational ecosystem, and paving the way towards a new horizon in this sector. We highly commend the efforts made by Yahsat and this fruitful collaboration, which has contributed to enabling the Emirates Schools Establishment to provide its services to students across the UAE.”

Al Kaabi said, “The impact that we have achieved so far through our collaboration with the Ministry of Education showcases how satellite connectivity can play a critical role in society, having directly impacted the lives of 300 students by providing them reliable Internet access to continue their education.

"Through affordable high-speed Internet over satellite to these students, Yahsat has effectively bridged the divide and supported our ambition of building a knowledge-based economy in the UAE, replicating similar contributions made in many markets across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas over the years.”

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com