Muscat: Within the framework of the educational cooperation between Oman and the UAE, an educational delegation from the Emirates Schools Establishment visited the Sultanate headed by Eng. Mohammed Hamza Al Qasim, Director General of the Emirates Schools Foundation, Dr. Omar Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of the School Operations Sector, and Ahmed Al Obaidli, Senior Protocol Specialist.
The visit lasted for two days, in order to learn about the experiences of the Sultanate of Oman in several educational fields.
Engineer Mohammed Al Qasim, Director General of the Emirates School Education Foundation, said: “This visit focuses on exchanging experiences in the field of education, because there is a deep-rooted Emirati-Omani historical relationship, and we have to consolidate these relations through the field of education, which is one of the most important sectors”.
“The Sultanate of Oman has made great strides in the field of education, through meetings with officials in the Ministry of Education, and learning about the experiences in the Omani schools, specifically in special education, integration schools, and general education. There are many opportunities to exchange experiences in various fields of education, and we work together to develop this field,” he added.
“What attracted me in this visit was what was presented at Fatima Bint Al-Walid School in the aspect of research and development, and filling the existing gaps, whether in operations or academies. This is an important experience that we will benefit from in our schools in the United Arab Emirates,” he said.
On the first day, the visiting delegation met with Professor Dr. Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Education.
During the meeting, the school education system in the Sultanate of Oman, student activities, in addition to the special education teaching system, integration, and several other educational fields were discussed.
The delegation also met with H.E. Majid bin Saeed Al-Bahri, Undersecretary for Administrative and Financial Affairs.
During the meeting, the system for appointing teachers, the transfer system and its challenges were discussed. They also discussed the digital transformation project in the ministry, the roadmap for the e-learning system, and the geographical distribution of schools, their operational system, and their structure, in addition to many areas of common interest between the two sides.
The visiting delegation also held a meeting with a number of Directors-General at the ministry and the educational directorates. Presentations were made about the education process in the Sultanate of Oman, the special education and the continuous learning, and on evaluating the educational system for the Sultanate of Oman through ‘a joint study between the Ministry of Education and the Federation of New Zealand Educational Organisations.’
The meeting concluded with a presentation by the Centre for Vocational Guidance and Student Guidance.
On the second day, the Emirati delegation visited Al-Manhal Basic Education School (1-4) and Fatima Bint Al-Walid Basic Education School (5-10),.
The delegation was briefed on the most important educational initiatives that were implemented in the two schools for the students and their parents.
Some presentations were held in academic achievement, community partnership, scientific research, entrepreneurship, and student companies.
A second session was also held with some of Directors-General, and directors of departments in the Ministry, where some work papers were presented by the Specialised Institute for professional training for teachers, and the Center for Educational Measurement and Evaluation.