AJMAN // Going to school will finally be fun - at least that is the promise from the architects of the new Ajman Academy.
Brightly coloured classrooms, indoor and outdoor play areas, sporting facilities, a food laboratory, a music and drama room, an art studio and wi-fi connection throughout the campus are just some of what the academy will offer.
The 60,000-square-metre school, which will follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, is set to open its doors in September.
"From transparent spaces to the use of technology, the school is being designed to make education an enjoyable experience," says Mohammed Sherzad, director of facilities and services office at the Ajman University of Science and Technology. He is also the director at Uniconsult, the university's architectural engineering consulting office, which designed the school with Penoyre & Prasad, a London-based architecture firm. It is being constructed under the supervision of Al Gurg Consultants.
Hundreds of uniformed labourers work in the summer heat to create a school that hopes to meet the demand of Emirati and Arab parents who are keen on an international experience for their children. Ajman Academy's sprawling campus, which is expected to cost about Dh55 million, has been funded by the emirate's ruling family.
It will enrol 250 pupils for its Primary Years Programme this year. It has applied for IB candidacy for now and will apply for accreditation in two years. Initially, it will admit students from kindergarten to gradefive. The first phase is nearly complete despite work starting as late as October. This is because the building is constructed with prefabricated panels, which were cast off-site.
The classroom walls are being painted in hues of green, orange and red.
"Every grade has its own colour scheme," said Mr Sherzad. Each classroom will also have its own toilet.
The art studio and the language and food labs have been planned to enable the "holistic development" of children. The food lab will teach older children to cook healthy food, said the architect.
Daily, healthy meals will also be cooked on campus and served in the 250-seat dining room. This, he said, was to train them early on the importance of eatingproperly.
Group rooms, where pupils will get together for discussions, are aimed at developing leadership skills in them.
"The child will feel a sense of belonging to the place and will feel like coming back every day," Mr Sherzad said.
Outdoor study areas, which will be decorated with plants, have been built for the younger grades so learning can take place outside during the winter months. Instead of the boring, conventional seating found in most schools, pupils will have interactive desks that can project lessons and study materials.
"This way, they can sit together and discuss," he said. Lessons can be projected on the wall or the desks.
Apart from smart designs and cutting-edge technology, the school's planners have put safety at its centre.
"We are using rubber surfaces in the indoor and outdoor areas so children don't get hurt when they fall," he said. The architects have not used too many steps and say they have focussed on smooth and levelled surfaces for child safety.
The architects have also created open spaces with at least six skylights that brighten the common areas naturally and have installed energy-saving cooling systems.
"The [ Variable Refrigerant Volume] cooling system saves 30 to 40 per cent of energy. It is environmentally friendly. The insulated, precast, sandwich panels inside walls will reduce radiation," said Mr Sherzad.
Solar panels will be used to heat water and conserve energy. .
Work will begin on the second phase in March 2013 to accommodate higher grades. It will take another year to complete.
pkannan@thenational.ae
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Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Your rights as an employee
The government has taken an increasingly tough line against companies that fail to pay employees on time. Three years ago, the Cabinet passed a decree allowing the government to halt the granting of work permits to companies with wage backlogs.
The new measures passed by the Cabinet in 2016 were an update to the Wage Protection System, which is in place to track whether a company pays its employees on time or not.
If wages are 10 days late, the new measures kick in and the company is alerted it is in breach of labour rules. If wages remain unpaid for a total of 16 days, the authorities can cancel work permits, effectively shutting off operations. Fines of up to Dh5,000 per unpaid employee follow after 60 days.
Despite those measures, late payments remain an issue, particularly in the construction sector. Smaller contractors, such as electrical, plumbing and fit-out businesses, often blame the bigger companies that hire them for wages being late.
The authorities have urged employees to report their companies at the labour ministry or Tawafuq service centres — there are 15 in Abu Dhabi.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The%20specs
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
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THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPAD%20PRO%20(12.9%22%2C%202022)
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Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
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Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The%20specs
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Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
The%20specs
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Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5