UAE reaffirms commitment to advancing global education

The United Arab Emirates marked the International Day of Education on January 24, reinforcing its unwavering belief and commitment to transform the education sector in the world. 

The UAE is actively involved in providing quality education, especially in regions affected by humanitarian crises. The UAE is working towards strengthening educational equity worldwide through Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives’ Digital School. In line with the initiatives, the UAE launched a project to support the continuity of education in Lebanon, assisting 40,000 students in the first phase. Students are offered digital learning solutions and education support in displacement camps.

Since its launch in 2020, the Digital School has reached more than 160,000 students across 13 countries in need, providing training to over 2,500 digital teachers and offering essential content in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish.

Another major milestone is the adoption of the Abu Dhabi Declaration at the 19th Conference of Arab Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research, hosted by the UAE. The Declaration outlined a strategic framework to enhance higher education and research in the Arab region, underscoring the need to equip students with skills to meet the demands of the evolving job market.

The UAE also made key contributions to education in countries across the world as part of the Global Partnership for Education. Since 2018, the nation has contributed US$200 million to the initiative to support educational programmes in developing countries until 2025.

The UAE has also set up several schools and universities across the world, as well as offered generous scholarships and grants. Various Emirati humanitarian organizations have built thousands of schools globally and trained hundreds of thousands of teachers.

Furthermore, the Emirati leadership has extended constant support to international organizations, such as UNRWA, in their efforts to provide education to Palestinian refugees. Between 2012 and 2019, the UAE contributed around AED190.1 million ($51.8 million) to help and support education for Syrian refugees.

Considering education is a key pillar of the UAE’s foreign aid strategy, the country has worked continuously for the growth and development of its education sector through reforms and the establishment of a national framework for higher education rankings.

Recently, the UAE commemorated February 28 as Emirati Day for Education to mark the graduation of the first batch of teachers from the United Arab Emirates University in 1982.