The Ministry of Education (MoE) - Curriculum Department, and the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) have signed an agreement, whereby EIAST’s key findings will become part of the secondary school curriculum of Geography and Social Studies.
As per the agreement, EIAST will provide the ministry with detailed information on its vision, mission, researches and main programmes, in addition to the images received by DubaiSat-1 to be included in the geography text book of the tenth grade next year.
This initiative is part of the ministry’s efforts to strengthen the student curriculum with contemporary subject materials to enhance the knowledge base of students, and complements EIAST’s efforts in sharing its concrete contributions for the benefit of the UAE student community.
A delegation from the Ministry of Education headed by Shaikha Kholood Saqr Al Qassimi, Director of Curriculum Department, MoE, recently visited EIAST to identify its workflow, future development plans and programmes, as well as to discuss aspects of cooperation between them.
Engineer Adnan Mohammed Al Rais, Team Leader – Ground Systems and Image Processing, gave a detailed presentation on the launch process of DubaiSat-1, how the Ground Control Station is connected to the satellite for receiving images and updates on DubaiSat-2. The delegation also visited the Ground Control Station connected to DubaiSat-1, the Image Processing and Data Analysis lab, and the Assembly Integration and Test room.
Shaikha Kholood congratulated the efforts of UAE nationals in achieving the historic accomplishment. She said: “We are pleased to co-operate with the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology and share their knowledge base with the student community of the UAE. By incorporating EIAST’s achievements as part of the student curriculum, we aim to further positioning the UAE on the international map of innovation and excellence by promoting stronger interest in the young minds about the country’s scientific accomplishments.”
His Excellency Mr Ahmed Al Mansoori, Director General, EIAST, said: “The joint initiative with the Ministry of Education is important given the vital role that the ministry plays in strengthening and developing the skills of future generations. We are pleased to co-operate with the ministry and we hope that EIAST’s activities, especially the achievements of DubaiSat-1, will be a catalyst for UAE high school students to pursue the path of advanced technology for the overall welfare of the nation.”
He added: “DubaiSat-1 is a stepping stone in the UAE's attempt to create sound infrastructure that will enable us to collect space and earth observation data to power the comprehensive development of the UAE. The satellite highlights the commitment of EIAST to create a knowledge-based economy by leveraging the advances in satellite technology. In shaping the knowledge economy, it is extremely important to integrate the youth, and the addition of our achievements in the student curriculum, we can enhance national pride, strengthen awareness and help nurture scientific thinking in the young minds.”
The delegation from the Curriculum Department, MoE, included Mariam Kamal, Head of Humanities curricula; Fatima Ahmed Al Muhairi, Art Director, and Dr. Jassim Mohammed Abdel Karim, a specialist in geography - Social Studies Division.
The DubaiSat-1 is the first remote sensing satellite owned by the UAE which represents the country's determination to possess advanced space technologies to fulfil the needs of scientific and technological research, as well as to provide up-to-date spatial and earth monitoring data that aids the holistic growth drive adopted by the nation.
