The UAE’s Ministry of Education and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU) has given training more than 42,000 teachers and academic staff to be online tutors amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The training was conducted using a free e-training course. It aims at teaching both local and international servers to use the skills to manage classrooms online and use technology to work.
More than 22,000 certificates were issued, according to government officials.
Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, said that UAE officials are working to adopt global best practices regarding distance learning programmes for teaching and administrative staff.
“Today, we are better prepared for the future, by creating a comprehensive and integrated electronic learning and training environment, which will realise the country’s efforts to shift towards smart education and employ technological resources and educational competencies to serve the academic community,” Al Hammadi said.
Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, chancellor of HBMSU, said that “we are delighted at the fact that the university is among the first to support the distance learning initiative.”
“We are offering our cumulative experiences, advanced technological capabilities, and knowledge and academic resources to serve the nation and academic community,” he added.
Earlier in March, the Ministry announced that the spring holiday will begin earlier, with all public and private schools and higher education institutions across the country closing for four weeks starting on Sunday, March 8. The move was describes as a preventative and precautionary measure aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.
The two-week spring holiday was scheduled to start on March 29, until April 12.
Schools impact
Now, a pilot programme for distance education will now be implemented during the last weeks of the four-week break to ensure continuity and to avoid any impact on school days.
A pilot state of the programme was launched on March 2 for all government schools in the UAE, aimed at being implemented during times of emergencies and disasters.The Ministry of Education, in cooperation with Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, HBMSU, has hosted over 42,000 teachers and academic staff using a free e-training course, entitled “How to be an online tutor in 24 Hours.”
The electronic course aims to teach both local and international teaching and academic staff the skills to manage classrooms online, as well as to help them acquire the knowledge to use modern technologies to perform their duties.
More than 22,000 certificates were issued, an achievement that serves the goals of the national agenda of the UAE Vision 2021 to develop a world-class education system that invests in human capital in the areas of innovation, leadership and knowledge in the digital age.
Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, stated that the ministry is adopting the best educational practices and organising distance learning programmes for teaching and administrative staff.
“Today, we are better prepared for the future, by creating a comprehensive and integrated electronic learning and training environment, which will realise the country’s efforts to shift towards smart education and employ technological resources and educational competencies to serve the academic community,” Al Hammadi said.
Commenting on the programme, Dr. Mansoor Al Awar, Chancellor of HBMSU, said, “We are delighted at the fact that the university is among the first to support the distance learning initiative. We are offering our cumulative experiences, advanced technological capabilities, and knowledge and academic resources to serve the nation and academic community.”
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