Education
Dubai Car Free Day may take national stage
Dubai Car Free Day may take national stage Sajila Saseendran / 19 February 2014 The Director General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah was joined by senior officials of various departments in riding the Metro from the Etisalat station to the Union station next to the municipality’s headquarters. Dubai Police Commander-in-Chief Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Director General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah with other officials. Photos by Juidin Bernarrd/Khaleej Times Dubai’s Car Free Day initiative is likely to be extended to all the emirates with the Environment Minister supporting the idea to make it a national drive. Responding to a query by Khaleej Times , Minister for Environment and Water Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad said he would support the idea of taking the initiative to the UAE level. “There are other green initiatives taking place in other emirates as well. But this is a very good initiative that encourages people to leave cars and use mass transportation to reduce environmental pollution. I support the idea to take it to the national level.” Earlier in the morning, ministers and top officials of government departments led thousands of Dubai residents in leaving their cars at home and taking public transport to work on Dubai Municipality’s fifth Car Free Day. The Director General of Dubai Municipality Hussain Nasser Lootah was joined by senior officials of various departments in riding the Metro from the Etisalat station to the Union station next to the municipality’s headquarters. Lootah said the aim of the day was to encourage people, especially those commuting between just two points — home and office — to use public transport to save the environment from pollution. ‘We want everyone to think about Dubai’s environment, the increasing number of cars, and take steps to make a difference. It’s everybody’s responsibility. We want people to move away from their iPads and other gadgets and walk. Using public transport is good not only for the environment, it is good for health also.’ CEO of Public Transport at the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) Dr. Yousif Al Ali said he would look into the possibility of making public transport free of charge on Car Free Day. ‘We have the annual Free Public Transport Day and that also aims to encourage people to use Metro and buses. The purpose is the same for this (Car Free Day) initiative also,’ he pointed out. About 65 entities from the public and private sectors took part in this year’s Car Free Day, making it the biggest green drive in the emirate. The municipality estimates about 9,000 people to have ditched their cars today, reducing more than 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission. The civic body has announced sport bicycles as prizes to 100 participants who registered online. Spreading the message of the initiative, 100 employees of the municipality participated in a 3.5 km bicycle rally from Deira City Centre to the DM headquarters. An exhibition of eco-friendly cars and other projects, a mime about environmental pollution by students of Our Own High School Al Warqa were among the activities organised at the municipality’s sprawling parking lot, which was closed for cars for the day. sajila@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Admission age for KG-1 in Abu Dhabi set at four years
Admission age for KG-1 in Abu Dhabi set at four years Olivia Olarte-Ulherr / 19 February 2014 Adec clarifies on dates after confusion over Ministry of Education’s order, no rule change in Dubai. The new admission age for kindergarten 1 (KG-1) is four years for all schools — public and private — in Abu Dhabi emirate. This was clarified by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) following confusion over the Ministry of Education’s recent ruling. Likewise, first-time enrollees in KG-2 should be five years while those in Grade 1 six years. According to the Adec, this “is the same for all schools” across the emirate. New Bangladeshi students who started school in January should be four by April 31 while those joining the Asian and Indian curriculum in KG-1 in April should be four years by July 31, and other curricula starting the academic year in September should be four by December 31. An official from Adec’s Private School and Quality Assurance (PSQA) Sector said that they met the principals in September last year and issued a circular in January explaining the new age limit. The new regulation takes effect from the 2014-2015 academic year. “Our education system is clear as to what age the school should start with… our electronic student information system is programmed accordingly,” said the PSQA official. He stressed that the new age applies only to first-time enrollees and that continuing students are exempted from this. The clarification came after parents and schools expressed confusion over the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) ruling that raises the entry level for kindergarten from the previous 3.6 years and 5.6 years for Grade 1 by October 1 in public schools and those following the MoE curriculum. Other private schools previously accepted students in KG-1 at three years but with the new regulation, many parents were left disappointed to have to wait for another year. Rosario Soares’ daughter will be 3.7 years in April when he hopes to start her in KG-1 but was told that they cannot accept her due to the new age limit. “This is not ideal because my other two daughters started at three years,” complained the Indian national. “It was very clear; a child should turn four by December 31 if he/she is joining a school in September… By first of September, a child should be 3.8 years minimum to become four years by December 31. (Similarly), a child should be 3.8 by January 1 if joining the Bangladesh school,” the PSQA official said. He noted, however, that this does not apply for the Foundation Stage 1 (FS-1), which is equivalent to nursery in the British curriculum and accepts students at three years. But FS2, equivalent to KG-1, should follow the same regulation. To be in line with the Adec regulation, the British International School Al Khubairat (BISAK) has renamed the FS-1 to nursery and is accepting students at three years while FS-2 admission is for four-year-old students. A random check of other schools in the Capital showed that many schools have since adjusted their admission age. The Horizon Private School has set 3.8 years as the minimum age by September 5 while the Twenty First Century Private Academy set the same by September 1. The Abu Dhabi Indian School following the CBSE curriculum has set its admission age at 3.8 by March 30 while Bright Riders by March 31. The Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bangladesh Islamia School, meanwhile, only admitted new students in KG1 at 3.8 years by January 1. Mir Anisul Hasan, vice-principal of the Bangladesh school, said they used to accept new students as young as three years but now have to abide by the regulation. As the only Bangladesh community school in the Capital, he said parents initially found it “tough, but we have to stick to the rules of Adec”. No change in Dubai In Dubai, schools and parents also expressed confusion over the new MoE regulation. But in response to Khaleej Times enquiry, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) assured that this does not apply to private schools in Dubai. “At present, the rules remain unchanged and the minimum age is determined by each school/curricula. We will update them if there are any changes,” the KHDA said in a statement on Tuesday. olivia@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
One-way trip to Mars prohibited in Islam
One-way trip to Mars prohibited in Islam Ahmed Shaaban / 19 February 2014 Fatwa committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE says such a journey poses a real risk to life. Promoting or being involved in a one-way trip to the Red Planet is prohibited in Islam, a fatwa committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE has ruled. “Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam,” the committee said. “There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death.” Whoever opts for this “hazardous trip”, the committee said, is likely to perish for no “righteous reason”, and thus will be liable to a “punishment similar to that of suicide in the Hereafter”. The committee, presided by Professor Dr Farooq Hamada, said: “Protecting life against all possible dangers and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.” Late in April 2013, Mars One, a Dutch company, invited volunteers to fly and live on the Red Planet, but there is no technology so far that would enable a return trip from Mars to Earth. The company is planning the first such trip to Mars in 2023 and another crew every two years afterwards with the goal of establishing a permanent human colony. The applicants must be aged between 18 and 40 years and in good physical condition. They have to pay only $38 for the trip. Thousands of volunteers, including some 500 Saudis and other Arabs, have reportedly applied for the mission which costs $6 billion. The committee indicated that some may be interested in travelling to Mars for escaping punishment or standing before Almighty Allah for judgment. “This is an absolutely baseless and unacceptable belief because not even an atom falls outside the purview of Allah, the Creator of everything. This has also been clearly underscored in verse 19&20/93 of the Holy Quran in which Allah says: There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. (Indeed) He has enumerated them and counted them a (full) counting.” Echoing the same, Islamic researcher Dr Shaikh Mohammed Al Ashmawy said there is no debate in this issue. “Almighty Allah said in verse 2/195 in the Holy Quran: Do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction.” Sheikh Mohammed Yusuf, Imam of the Amena mosque, said: “Man’s life is not his or her own property; it is God’s creation, and therefore suicide is prohibited in all religions, and of course by law.” ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com . For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
