Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed thanks teachers for ‘inspiring young people’

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi marked World Teachers’ Day with a tribute to the education sector

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed joins pupils at Al Asayel School in Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, in 2018. Photo: Crown Prince Court – Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, has lauded the UAE’s teachers for inspiring young learners.

On World Teachers’ Day, Sheikh Mohamed paid tribute to teaching staff who are helping to unlock the potential of the next generation and rising to the challenge of schooling children in a pandemic.

The education sector faced major disruption as the coronavirus spread around the globe.

Schools were quick to close their doors and switch to remote learning, with teachers embracing the new tools of technology to ensure pupils did not miss out on their education.

“On World Teachers’ Day we express our gratitude to educators throughout the UAE for inspiring our young people and preparing them for the future,” Sheikh Mohamed said on Twitter.

“We also commend our teachers for the adaptability they have shown in response to the ongoing challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The new academic year has brought cautious optimism for the future as pupils return to classrooms in large numbers.

Private schools in Dubai have ended distance learning – bar those who are exempt from in-person lessons.

The return of children to class has brought joy and relief to parents, pupils and teachers alike.

Back to school joy

At the Indian International School, children and teachers danced to the beat of the dhol, a traditional Indian percussion instrument.

About 13,000 pupils attended the school’s three campuses on Sunday.

Close to 95 per cent of those children had returned to in-person lessons for the first time in 18 months and they were excited to catch up with friends and teachers.

Most pupils in Abu Dhabi have also returned to physical lessons.

World Teachers’ Day is held on October 5 annually and was introduced by Unesco in 1994.

This year, it will focus on the role teachers played in leading the recovery from the pandemic.

A series of events will be held under the theme “Teachers at the heart of education recovery”.