More UAE support for schools, college in Socotra

With the new academic year about to begin in Yemen’s Socotra archipelago, the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Humanitarian Foundation is nearing completion of a series of new initiatives designed to improve educational facilities for Socotri children.

Two new secondary schools are being opened in remote rural areas, with a first grade of students due to be admitted to the new Ataya primary school.

Also, salaries are being provided for a total of 300 teachers to teach classes throughout Socotra. Among them are twelve new teachers from Egypt who will teach English, physics, chemistry and mathematics. In-service training is also being provided for teachers and school principals on subjects such as teaching methods and research tools.

Printing of textbooks for a planned 18,000 students throughout Socotra is also nearing completion, officials at the Foundation told WAM.

The Socotra Community College, headquartered in the capital, Hadibu, is being given further financial assistance, to support training being offered to retired people while 20 faculty members and top students from the College are also being provided with further training.

The local Institute for Training and Consulting is also continuing to provide English language and computer training for government employees and students, following on from a series of summer courses that were held for school students.

Besides its support for education on Socotra itself, the Foundation has also provided scholarships for 80 Socotri students to study abroad, 40 in the UAE and 40 in Egypt, with another 40 scholarships due to commence at the beginning of the new academic year.