Being happy is more important than ethnicity

Readers discuss why more Arab women are marrying foreigners. Other topics: antiquaited teaching, English tests and Pokemon dangers.

Readers discuss why more Arab women are choosing foreign husbands. Alessandro Bianchi / Reuters

With regard to Rym Ghazal's column about how Arab women are increasingly looking to marry foreigners (With relationships, we find happiness in our own way, July 21), maybe we should focus more on being happy and raising children who will be ready for all the serious challenges the world will face in the future.

It’s our generation’s obligation to leave to this world a generation of more respectful, less racist and more peacemaking humans.

So when you ask which nationality or race our partners should be, my response is that love and peace have no race.

Name withheld by request

I think it is just generally easier having a partnership marriage with a westerner, with the basis that each person is an equal partner.

It is more difficult to establish a traditional marriage where most of the cards are in the man’s hands. As Rym Ghazal notes, it is true that women aged over 30 would not be a top pick for a traditional husband.

Linda Lo, Abu Dhabi

I believe these things will change with time. If Arab men have been marrying foreigners, then it is quite right – not to mention mathematically necessary – for the women to do it too.

Sammy Wai, Dubai

Time to get rid of ‘fossilised’ tuition

I totally agree with some of the voices featured in your article, Mandatory teacher training often repetitive and irrelevant, UAE study shows (July 18).

Young Emiratis often endure a national school system that appears to offer a dull educational experience, staffed by untrained teachers from non-GCC countries. Unsurprisingly, many Emirati boys start to drift away from school as soon as they can find work, often after Grade 10.

Despite hundreds of official workshops designed to improve teaching methods and instructional approaches, little has changed in the past few years. This may be in part because mandatory teaching qualifications are not required.

When it comes to sparking an interest in learning, nothing can beat a motivated, competently-trained teacher. Take the example of Finland, where only the best candidates are selected for teaching.

The failure of the national school system to modernise its methods and improve the effectiveness of its teachers has also meant that many Emirati parents now prefer to send their children to private schools.

The truth is that many teachers in the public system have fossilised teaching styles, incapable of change.

Name withheld by request

Better English helps everyone

The decision described in your news article, English language test in place for prospective Dubai taxi drivers (July 21), is an excellent initiative.

Many times I’ve booked a cab and found myself repeating to the driver over and over, simply because he doesn’t understand English well enough.

Then you get the situation where you speak in English and the driver replies in Urdu or Hindi or some other language.

The reality is that English is the world’s language of business.

According to German chancellor Angela Merkel, one of the problems with the European Union is the absence of a common language. When asked what that common language should be, she said it should be English.

Lastly, a survey done in the Middle East suggests that people are more than likely to earn higher wages if they have a good command of English.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

This is long overdue and it is also needed in Sharjah.

Half the time it takes six taxis before you find a driver who speaks enough English to understand something as simple as “central souq” or “Sharjah city centre”. It should not be this difficult!

Lark Escobar, Sharjah

I would also recommend more English training for the police too, and especially for those who answer 999 calls.

One time I was trying to explain that there was a dead dog on the road near the Dubai abattoir but I had such a difficult time getting the message across that I gave up.

Aisha Rahman, Dubai

How dangerous is Pokemon Go?

Pokemon Go is dangerous and causes the attrition of concentration.

Elisabeth Merelim, Abu Dhabi

Racing cars, rockclimbing and skydiving are more dangerous. Should everyone just stay home?

Dina Karrar, Abu Dhabi