In the short history of the UAE, our nation has evolved from an oral tradition of storytelling to a modern education system, with impressive schools and world-class universities. But when we think about the next phase of our development, how can we pioneer new ways to prepare our youth for the future, by reimagining our education system?
This is something I think about often. After graduating from NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) in 2018, with a BA in Social Research and Public Policy and minors in Political Science and Legal Studies, I completed a master’s degree in Public Policy at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.
I now work at the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, focusing on the education strategy of Abu Dhabi, and I’m the co-founder of a start-up called Jagged, an app that helps university admission reimagine the way connections work in terms of mentorship. I’m also part of the Futureneers initiative launched in September this year; a national platform that brought together 11 talented young Emiratis to design ideas to enhance the UAE’s future readiness.
So how are we preparing leaders of the future, and can the UAE set a global benchmark for innovation in the sector?
Although our professionals continue to do a great job teaching our children, the sector is relatively conservative and isn’t preparing the next generation for the age of artificial intelligence and automation. A lot of research has been done in the past decade that points to better methods, but I’m yet to see an entire country revamp its education system all the way from schools through higher education, the employment journey and on through retirement.
It is our belief that we must think boldly about ways to link it to the skills that will be needed in coming decades, such as adaptability, critical thinking, and research. And I believe the UAE can capitalize on having a small population compared to other developed countries, which makes experimentation much more manageable.
One good starting place for new ideas are the proposals by the Towards Global Learning Goals (TGLG) network, based in Abu Dhabi, which proposes an international “learning revolution”. Led by NYU Professor Tom Fletcher, the TGLG says pupils worldwide are being failed by “factory schools” that focus on exams instead of readying their pupils for a rapidly changing, technology-driven world.
It envisions a system that ranks the character and skills of children as much as academic performance. Universities could become more accessible by offering more short and part-time courses. And parents need to change their attitudes by understanding that the way they were taught is not the best for their children.
There have also been some interesting developments in Scandinavian countries, including the abolishment of exams for younger children, and a strong tradition of full outdoor programming, such as at forest schools for preschool children.
All these ideas are worth investigating because education is not just about finding a job. Education is character development, it creates engaged citizens and awareness, it is the foundational component of any society.
It’s a great honor to serve my nation as part of the Futureneers program, so that we can think about the development of our society, and how we stay true to the ideas of our founder, Sheikh Zayed, while not being afraid of the future – as he most certainly was not. So as we celebrate the UAE’s 50th anniversary, I look forward to approaching the next 50 years with a radical vision that prepares us for the journey ahead.
Maitha AlMemari, Strategy at Abu Dhabi Executive Office
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