The reading initiative will only work if reading is seen as an important and necessary skill in both the home and school (UAE launches Dh100 million national reading strategy for the next 10 years, May 4). Parents must read to and with their children.
Libraries in most schools where I have worked were run by young girls who were not librarians, did not have the necessary skill set to run a library and often closed the libraries for days, weeks, and even months at a time although on paper classes were scheduled for library time.
If books were checked out, which was rare, they stayed in the classrooms and students were not allowed to take them home.
Not once did I see a “librarian” read to a class. These concerns were made to the principals and administrative librarian staff, but nothing ever changed.
A paradigm shift is needed if this initiative is to be successful.
Patricia Casarez, Dubai
Driver behaviour is main problem
In reference to the article Test all drivers on UAE rules (April 29), I'd like to know why when I'm sitting patiently in a 5km traffic jam on the 611 with thousands of other well-educated road users, some vehicles are allowed to use the extreme left emergency lane at speeds in excess of 50 kph?
Is there another type of driving licence that makes this permissible or am I missing something?
David Chambers, Dubai
Each time I stop at a pedestrian crossing, the pedestrians look at me with surprise, as if I stopped by mistake.
Back in Europe this is normal conduct. In most western countries the driving culture was developed earlier than in others and I guess this has been recognised. I can’t see anything wrong in this.
Nicola Siotto, Dubai
Hoverboard ban is not a solution
It is unfortunate that a young man was injured while riding a hoverboard, but it is not the fault of the hoverboard (RAK teen’s fractured spine following hoverboard accident ‘is lesson to all’ , May 2).
The same thing could have happened to a bicycle rider. It is overkill to want to ban hoverboards. Work to make them safer instead of caving in to exceedingly rare instances of problem.
Name withheld by request
Students need to be disciplined
Requiring teachers to hold a professional licence might improve the quality of education (UAE-wide teacher licensing scheme to begin in 2017, minister says, May 2), but before that students have to be disciplined.
They should not be able to get away with everything, such as using mobiles in class, cheating and bad behaviour with teachers. The changes need to be done on the management side.
Christina Murphy, Dubai
It’s not easy to shun plastics
The issue of plastic bottles could be easily solved with glass bottles (Bottled water is ‘more harmful than UAE’s tap water’, May 4), but water in a glass bottle costs six times more than water in a plastic bottle.
Valeriu Victor Stanciu-Crainic, Dubai
Stroke statistics are alarming
The statistics on stroke victims are alarming (UAE's average age of stroke victims is 20 years younger than global average, May 2).
There are many factors contributing to the drastic increase in the number of cases, the primary ones being the sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, unhealthy eating habits and increased dependence on technology.
People should make choices wisely when it comes to their health and must make every possible effort to keep illnesses at bay.
Fatima Suhail, Sharjah
Life is stressful here. This could be a major cause for such a high number of stroke victims.
Sima Tgh, Dubai