Adec’s moral education drive complements nation’s Year of Giving

Schools return on Sunday after winter break.

ABU DHABI // As the pilot of the new moral education class gets under way across nine public and private schools today, the focus will be on community service.

Abu Dhabi Education Council said the pilot will complement the objectives of the Year of Giving, declared last week by President Sheikh Khalifa.

Emphasising the importance of values and morals in building nations, Adec director-general, Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, said the new subject “aims to promote ethical values among school students as well as noble concepts, such as tolerance, respect and community participation”.

“This will be achieved by developing scientific educational programmes and frameworks to ensure the subject is integrated with the national education curriculum.”

The moral education class comprises four units: character and morality; individual and the community; civic studies and cultural students.

The key elements in the subject include ethics, personal and community development, culture and heritage, civic education and human rights and responsibilities.

Beginning this week, it will be taught to 2,000 pupils from primary school to Grade 8.

Feedback from teachers and parents will help fine-tune the course before it begins in all public and private schools in September.

“It seeks to develop a spirit of proactive and positive interaction and responsibility, and encourage a love of learning, creativity, innovation and ambition in students,” Dr Al Nuaimi said of moral education.

He added that the challenges of the 21st century required government, educators and parents to work together to teach community values to young people, and build an educated, cultured society that is deeply committed to its national identity, as well as cultural and moral values.

Last week, Adec organised a three-day training programme for teachers in preparation for the pilot phase.

A plan to introduce mandatory moral education for schoolchildren was announced in July by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.