His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, affirmed the greatness and importance of teachers due to the significant and pivotal message they relay in building the thought and knowledge of generations that is worth all respect and appreciation.
He stressed the importance of developing innovative and creative teachers, and announced training of 30,000 male and female teachers in the Sharjah Education Academy. His Highness also revealed the opening of the “Arabic Language” and “Arabic Calligraphy” centres soon in Kalba, and similar ones in Khorfakkan, Al Dhaid and Sharjah.
On the occasion of World Teacher's Day, which falls on October 5 of each year, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, said during His Highness’ intervention via the Direct Line Programme, broadcast live on Sharjah Radio and Television: “This day brings for the teacher a good and sad memory at the same time, because the teacher in our countries is not given his due respect and appreciation, and this is due to some disgraceful behaviour of the students towards their teachers, as well as from the parents who are basically the educators, who accuse the teacher of shortcomings and delinquency.”
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah highlighted the significant role teachers play in building nations, and their suffering in doing so, citing two Arab poets: Ahmed Shawqi and Ibrahim Tuqan, who composed poems in this context.
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah added: “For our part, we respect and appreciate teachers, and we are now focusing on teachers who are graduates of Arabic language and Islamic studies, who find no jobs, because most of the jobs currently available go to engineers, lawyers and other specialisations. Addressing this issue, we resort to the numerous national private schools in Sharjah.”
In support for Arabic Language and Islamic Studies teachers, His Highness Shows keenness in this regard through instructing the government to bear the difference in salary allocated to them at the private schools so that they can be on par with public school teachers in terms of salary.
His Highness expounded, "For example, if the owner of a private school sets the teacher's salary at AED3000, we will undertake the difference in the salary until it is on par with that of the public school teacher, and this is done through the “Sultan Al Qasimi Emiratisation Project”, launched on September 6, 2019, with the aim of providing Emirati jobseekers with appropriate job opportunities in the private sector; implementation of the project commenced in early 2020, benefiting 43 graduates who later joined a course in the Arabic Language following which they joined the practical training course at schools as of the beginning of the current school year under the supervision of specialists from the Sharjah Private Education Authority. This training will run until the end of the first school term during which the teachers are expected to acquire the best skills and methods in giving and explaining lessons. After concluding the training course, they will be recruited.”
Speaking about incompetent teachers, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah said that they could gain competence by joining the Sharjah Education Academy, which had been established for such a purpose where they can be part of the innovative training, scientific, and research qualifying courses. In this context, His Highness continued that the Academy proposes various programmes and courses in which 30,000 teachers from inside the UAE participated distantly recently, adding that if a teacher adds 100 practical training hours to these courses, he/she will obtain a specialised diploma.
Regarding exploring new areas to develop the society, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi said: “We are innovating new areas for the development of the society. For example, the next few days will witness the opening of the Arabic Language Centre in Kalba, as well as the Arabic Calligraphy Centre in the same city, with the aim of training enrollees on grammar, public speaking and diction skills, as well as calligraphy. Similar centres will be inaugurated in Khorfakkan, Al Dhaid and Sharjah.”
Addressing the issue of retired teachers, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah added: “We do not forget retired teachers and their needs, in terms of insufficient pension and other matters. Their issue is always in mind despite the increased daily preoccupations. We will look into that soon.”
Prior to concluding his intervention, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi sent a message to the teachers, saying: “We will not tell the teacher that we bless you on this day, but rather we say to him: We are with you on this day, because we entrusted you with the very best of us-our children- and we asked you to raise and teach them. We assure you: "Your right is preserved and we are with you, and we pay you all due respect and gratitude, and we try to give you the appropriate job, as well."
Concluding his intervention via the Direct Line Programme, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, said: “Teaching is not an easy profession; it is arduous and we realise that; nonetheless, its reward is great. The teacher enjoys a great and prestigious position due to the important and pivotal mission he performs. He builds thought, knowledge. We pray to God to help all teachers.”