President Sheikh Mohamed has said education is vital for the progress of the UAE.
He made his comments in a social media post to mark the International Day of Education, which is on Saturday.
"Education remains a fundamental pillar of the UAE’s long-term strategic vision,” said Sheikh Mohamed, writing on X.
"On International Day of Education, we remain focused on advancing a modern education system that reinforces our identity and values, supports national development priorities, and empowers our youth to be active partners in driving progress across knowledge, technology, and innovation.”
His comments came after state news agency Wam reported how the UAE was heavily involved in helping to promote education programmes in the region and further afield.
One example of this was the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Vocational Education in Senegal, which has capacity for approximately 1,000 students, helping them develop the skills required to support economic and social development.
The UAE's international education programme extended to Yemen, where last year it launched Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Educational Complexes in Al Azariq and Jahaf Districts in the Al Dhale'a governorate.
Each complex includes 24 classrooms covering basic and secondary education, alongside fully equipped computer halls, science laboratories, and modern administrative facilities, said Wam.
The Emirates Red Crescent also launched its School Bag Project in Al Hudaydah and Taiz, which included the distribution of 26,000 school bags to as many students.
Since 2018, the UAE has contributed $200 million to the Global Partnership for Education to support educational programmes in developing countries until 2025, added Wam.
Another project highlighted was the Digital School, one of the initiatives under Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, which has also trained more than 23,000 teachers in digital education. Countries that have benefitted include Nigeria and Kurdistan.
On a local level, Emirati Day for Education is celebrated annually on February 28, to commemorate the graduation of the first group of teachers from the United Arab Emirates University in 1982.
