UAE Ministry of Education proposes centre for talented students

The Cabinet is looking into a proposal to open a Dh10 million centre for talented students by 2016, the Ministry of Education announced yesterday.

The new centre is one of the eight initiatives proposed by the ministry to nurture and develop talents of students in public schools. These proposed initiatives were announced during a seminar titled "Talent Development Programmes in UAE".

If approved the centre will plan and design programmes for talented students, train teachers on how to deal with these special students as well as provide financial help and allocate budgets.

Mona Al Merri, Managing Director of Special Education at the ministry said the role of the centre is to support existing programmes in schools.

Mona said the eight initiatives, which will cost Dh21 million in total, will also include establishing a law that makes sure talented students receive programmes that develop there talents further.

"Other than establishing a centre and a law, the proposed initiatives include training teachers, implementing a unified strategy and developing better tools to discover talents."

Mona said, there are 13,000 to 18,000 talented students in the UAE. The programmes are all customised to the needs to support these students. She also added that most importantly she hopes the support and encouragement of these students would not stop in schools but also continue in universities.

The Minister of Education, Humaid Mohammad Obaid Al Qutami said schools in the UAE are already on the right track.

"Programmes for talented students have reached 350 schools, this shows that were are moving in the right direction but we have to develop these programmes even further, which is what we are working to achieve in the coming years."

Amal Mohammad Al Qah’tani, Head of the Talent Department at the ministry said there are challenges when it comes to developing programmes that enhance students’ skills.

"Shortage in specialised cadres, insufficient budget, lack of cooperation between the ministry and other parties and the need for a law that unifies and supports all programmes are among the challenges faced."

Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Dubai Police and General Security and Chairman of the Emirates Talents Association also added at the seminar that gifted people must be supported.

"If they don’t receive the care and support, these geniuses’ talents, just like a flower, will wilt away with time, they will become regular people," said Dahi.