The Digital School Goes Global Into Five Countries To Support Students In Deprived Areas

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Digital School, confirmed that the inauguration by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for the objectives of the first founding year of the Digital School initiative to reach five countries within three continents, gives us a qualitative support in our mission to designing an advancing digital education system.

The Digital School initiative will help lift the school’s goals by offering unprecedented exceptional support for its mission to design a world-class advanced digital education system in accordance with the specificity of the countries and communities concerned and to meet the needs of every student.

This came during a press conference held by the Board of Directors of the Digital School at the Dubai Cares pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, which was inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Local, regional and international media participated in the conference, in the presence of members of the Board of Directors of the Digital School: Huda Al Hashemi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategic Affairs; Dr. Abdullah Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai; Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority; Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares; Dr. Mohamed Qasem, Assistant Professor at the College of Technological Studies in Kuwait; and Dr. Walid Al Ali, Secretary-General of the Digital School project.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama said: "The Digital School has a global alliance of more than 30 international organizations and academic, educational and research institutions, such as UNESCO, UNICEF, Harvard, and Arizona State University, that support its goals and contribute toward designing a promising and sustainable future for digital learning. Through technology applications and solutions according to the Education for All vision, we look forward to reaching one million students in the next five years."

Dr. Walid Al Ali, Secretary-General of The Digital School, who presented during the press conference the main objectives and achievements of the school in its first year, said: "The Digital School trains teachers and those involved in digital learning processes on its various mechanisms and tools to be the reference for tens of thousands of students benefiting from the comprehensive curriculum. This will provide a digital educational content that is compatible with the national curricula in the targeted countries, and in three languages: Arabic, French and Spanish. In its first year, the Digital School include preparing 120 digital learning centers with equipment and everything that learners and teachers need, using a modern digital learning platform and tools that employ modern technologies."

The Digital School is supported by an international advisory board that includes a group of international experts from reputable institutions and organizations such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Generation Unlimited, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of South Wales Sydney, Arizona State University, and Brookings Institution.

The school is also supported by the Alliance for the Future of Digital Learning, which includes more than 30 international organizations and academic institutions. In addition, it has signed understandings with many institutions and authorities concerned with the future of digital education and innovation, including Arizona State University, the World Food Program, the Mobile Learning Alliance, Dubai Cares, the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, Microsoft and Amazon.

The members of the Board of Directors of the Digital School valued His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s extraordinary support for the initiative. His Highness’s directives were to accelerate access of the benefits of digital learning to the largest possible number of beneficiaries to reflect the message of the UAE and its society to extend a helping hand to all, and to empower young people and younger generations in particular, in disadvantaged regions around the world.

Huda Al-Hashemi, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Strategy, Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of the Digital School and Head of the Strategy Committee, said that the Digital School Initiative has developed a comprehensive strategic vision that employs innovation and the speed of digital transformation taking place worldwide to make a remarkable leap in digital learning and the leadership of digital education globally to reflect His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to make education accessible to all.

For his part, Dr. Abdullah Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, and Chairman of the Education and Accreditation Committee for the Digital School, said the Digital School adopts a student-centric education model to provide a comprehensive learning experience using technology to expand learning opportunities and contribute to raising the quality of the education experience, in parallel with our focus in the Digital School on training specialized teachers and building their capabilities.

Dr. Mohammed Ateeq Al Falahi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority and Chairman of the Operations and Logistics Committee, explained that the Digital School worked to coordinate efforts and operations, and to prepare the various operational factors in 5 countries around the world. He indicated that the logistical role of the Red Crescent Authority in many of the countries targeted by the Digital School initiative translates the directives of the wise leadership to extend a helping hand to all, consolidates the effective humanitarian role of the UAE regionally and globally, and enhances its position as a major hub for global efforts aimed at achieving sustainable development based on education, combating poverty and ignorance, and spreading knowledge.

For his part, Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares, and Chairman of the Partnerships Committee of The Digital School, said that The Digital School focuses on building partnerships as a key enabler in its strategy, as the Digital School initiative has recently received the attention of several international institutions and organizations, and the most prominent international technology and technical education companies. Agreements and memoranda of cooperation have been concluded within a participatory approach in the design and delivery of its services in support of the fourth goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to ensure the quality and inclusion of education for all by 2030.

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