The International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC) and the Ministry of Education (MoE) have introduced a new educational initiative to teach every schoolchild in the United Arab Emirates about conservation, focusing on the Houbara bustard as the flagship species. The official launch of this innovative program took place at Jumeirah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, with students from select schools and representatives from both organizations participating.
In his foreword to the new teacher handbook created for the initiative, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, writes, "We have the right to be proud of the achievements we have made in recent decades. However, the ceiling of our ambitions must not stop at this point. We must learn from these achievements and continue our work with a positive outlook in order to make a difference. One of the living models that we must learn from is the Houbara programme, which is a unique success story following years of experiment, scientific research and technical innovations".
The conservation program for the Houbara bustard, initiated by the late Sheikh Zayed, serves as a model to impart essential skills and knowledge to students in schools throughout the UAE. A specially crafted handbook and website will equip teachers with resources to cover various subjects across all grade levels in the UAE school system. During the event, students and their teachers from local schools involved in the pilot phase of the initiative showcased their projects.
Speaking at the launch, Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, UAE Minister of Education, said, "In a highly competitive world, education is the key to excellence, leadership and advancement. This is the framework, which requires us in the Ministry of Education to be committed to developing an innovative, knowledge-based education system suitable for such a competitive world. This system includes all age groups and reflects the values of the nation in building an advanced society based on science, technology, innovation and knowledge".
A pilot programme to test the validity of the initiative ran during the first half of 2018 with the assistance of MoE and the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) in Abu Dhabi. Seven private and government Cycle 1 - 3 schools, carried out exercises contained within the handbook and, subsequently, provided their feedback.
Commenting on the significance of the Houbara to Abu Dhabi, Majid Al Mansouri, Managing Director, International Fund for Houbara Conservation, said: "The Houbara that once sustained our ancestors in the desert, today provides an opportunity for future sustenance for those who wish to learn and gain knowledge. The Houbara is as important as the falcon to our heritage and values. From primary to K-12 every child in the UAE will now get to learn about our environment and the need to protect it and the other species we share the planet with. This programme will produce the conservation leaders of tomorrow who will take forward Sheikh Zayed’s legacy".
The program was officially launched by IFHC’s honorary ambassadors, Muhra Al Mansouri and Omar Al Marzouqi from Aspen Heights British School, who conducted a ceremonial E-Ribbon cutting on an iPad to activate the teacher website. The handbook and website are now accessible to all teachers across schools in every emirate. Schools wishing to join the education program should first obtain approval from the MoE and then register their interest with IFHC. Teachers can access the teaching tools on the secure website through a coordinator designated at each participating school.
