Education is again at the top of the national agenda. The three-day Global Education and Skills Forum, launched in Abu Dhabi last night, has brought together dozens of leading educators, politicians and community leaders to exchange ideas about schools, learning and strategies for bettering the lives of children. It closely follows reports of a UAE Ministry of Education proposal to set up a Dh21 million centre for the nation's most gifted school students.
The director of the ministry’s special education department plan was outlined at a seminar in Dubai on Thursday that discussed ways to identify and develop the talents of pupils who outperform others in mathematics, science, humanities, sport, fine arts and other fields. The department’s director, Norra Al Marri, said the proposed centre – which would require Cabinet approval before being written into law – would build on existing initiatives that began in 2008 with a programme to identify gifted children in 10 public schools. That programme has since been expanded to 250 schools across the UAE and has identified more than 18,000 talented students over the years.
The idea of an exclusive school for gifted children has merit, and it fits in with the nation's stated aims of developing a knowledge economy and placing Emiratis in leadership positions in the workforce. Supporting the best and brightest from an early age, with tailored teaching programmes delivered by scientists and other experts, makes sense.
However, such a school would also present some challenges. Locating it in Sharjah or Dubai, as has been proposed, would create disruption to the lives of students from other emirates. The existence of such a facility could also raise questions about the quality of education being offered to other students. Even those among the designated “gifted” may find it uncomfortable moving from being at the top of their existing class to being merely an average student within an exceptional group.
Unfortunately, some students emerge from the education system without even basic literacy and numeracy skills, which raises another question about whether the focus should be on the worst-performing students as well as the best. Encouraging excellence is essential for the future of the nation, but it is also important that every child can achieve their full potential, regardless of their ability, and that no child gets left behind.