Thursday 26 / December / 2024
Muscat: In an effort to develop as the next generation of leaders in the Sultanate, several students from across the country have enrolled in the Takatuf Scholarship Programme to hone their academic and leadership skills and compete for securing an international scholarship abroad.
Organised by Takatuf Oman LLC, the programme is split into two areas. The preparatory programme gathers tenth graders to undergo an intensive programme designed to develop the core competencies needed for success today. Upon completion, they will be recognised as Takatuf Scholars and would have acquired skills that are vital for their university years.
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Out of these Takatuf Scholars, some are selected to study for six years in one of the most prestigious universities in the world and complete an undergraduate programme in which they will be recognised as Takatuf International Scholars. The programme joins academia with real world experiences, which are designed to prepare the students for personal and professional success.
“Other than school, pledging my efforts to the Takatuf Scholars Programme was the first serious commitment I’ve ever made and I’m quite glad it was,” said Aziza Al Kalbani, a Takatuf Scholar in 2015. “This programme introduced me to many things I needed to know as a 21st century learner and it was very likely that I would’ve learned them a bit too late otherwise,” she added.
Maryam Mukhaini, a Takatuf Scholar in 2015, said working with different people helped build confidence and develop communication skills, so vital today. “Working in these classes gave us the spark for discussions and debate in a critical way. Working with different people built our personal confidence and developed our communication skills; we learned how to collaborate and as a result, built stronger relationships and respect between us,” said Mukhaini.
For some students, the programme helped in developing their time management skills, which allowed them to accomplish a set number of goals effectively and efficiently.
“I acquired certain crucial skills in the programme, which I will be able to utilise throughout my life and I grew as an individual by enriching my thinking processes,” said Muhammad Al Azizi, a Takatuf Scholar in 2015.
He also added, “I also learned to use my time in certain ways to help me accomplish tasks efficiently and effectively. Improving these skills allowed me to get closer to reaching the goals I’ve set for myself.”
Part of the programme is a workshop simulating real world situations, such as the recent climate change conference in Paris. Student had to demonstrate their negotiation skills; a vital skill needed today.
“A large part of the Winter Workshop was participating in a simulation related to a global conference (COP21) that took place in Paris. We were divided into groups and each group represented the perspective of a party that participated in the conference,” explained Muhammad Al Abdul Salam, also a Takatuf Scholar in 2015.
“My group represented the United States’ point of view, while other groups represented the views of the Maldives, India and Shell Global. There were many negotiations among us and we finally agreed to reduce the carbon dioxide by 30 per cent in India. We decided that the United States and Shell Global will be the sponsors of this project by providing financial support,” he added.
“Some readers may ask why it is important to discuss such a global issue; well, I learned from this experience that educating young Omanis about the problems, which are facing our world can increase the significance of Oman’s opinion in global events,” said Al Abdul Salam.
Takatuf Oman LLC is set to honour the Takatuf Scholar 2015 in a recognition ceremony on May 15 under the patronage of Dr. Muna Al Jardani, undersecretary of the Ministry of Manpower for Technical Education and Vocational Training.
