Kind gesture by asylum seekers

Readers applaud asylum-seekers' gesture towards Italy's earthquake victims. Other topics: back to school, education, racism

Readers praise asylum seekers’ gesture towards Italy’s earthquake victims. Massimo Percossi / AP Photo

It is heartening to read about the kind gesture by these asylum seekers in Italy, who have decided to contribute their meagre allowances towards helping the victims of the earthquake that has claimed over 100 lives (Asylum seekers donate daily allowances to Italy quake survivors, August 26).

It is these acts of kindness and selflessness that help restore faith in humanity. It is generous and thoughtful of these refugees to have pitched in for help.

I hope the rescue teams can pull out more survivors from the debris. My sincere prayers with all those affected.

Fatima Suhail, Sharjah

This is an incredible gesture by peope who are often perceived as threats by an indigenous population.

These are some small things that go on to prove that humanity has not vanished from this world altogether and that, despite so many odds, humanity is likely to survive.

Amal Hassan, Dubai

We need more variety in education

Congratulations to all those who obtained superb results at A Level and GCSEs this year, and to the schools with such high pass rates (GCSE pupils in Dubai post record grades, August 26).

Let’s not forget, however, that schools in this country operate on an exclusive basis – they exclude children who don’t reach their high standards. While the education here is excellent, it is not for everyone. Our daughter left the UAE after GCSEs to pursue a Cache Diploma in the UK, and is now entering her third year at university in the UK studying criminal investigation with psychology.

It is doubtful that she would have achieved this if she had been forced to follow the A Level or IB curriculum offered in the UAE. Our son achieved results at A level adequate to gain a place at his chosen university in Australia, but he too would have achieved so much more if he had been able to study subjects other than the “standard” ones offered.

What the UAE needs is more variety in education – not more pressure and heartache for those families resident here with children who are not so academically blessed, and thus forced to leave when their children fail to reach the exacting standards required.

Caroline T, Dubai

As the summer vacation ends, school bells will chime again. I am also preparing myself to encounter tensed parents rushing from one shop to another to buy uniforms and stationery for their children. I wonder why they keep these things for the last moment.

It was great not to see school buses in Dubai for sometime. How quickly time flies by. But to some extent it will be good to see the streets busy and the city come back to life.

Mathew Litty, Dubai

Racism crushes athletes’ dreams

South Africa’s “bagful” of medals, and India’s dismal showing at the Rio Games show how sports dominate not only participants’ lives, but even for nations for whom medals mean so much.

Both nations have quotas based on race and religion. Naturally, many people vie for inclusion but are left out, with politicians playing judge and jury.

Despite a billion-plus population, India finds it difficult to field its best sportspeople in international games. It is often accused of sidelining minority groups.

South Africa was previously bedevilled by the architects of apartheid who ensured teams remained lily-white. The country still has a long way to go to achieve parity.

This year, however, it won more medals than in the past, and the two gold medalists were from previously disadvantaged groups.

All in all, sports still suffers from the complexity of race and religion, which creates difficulty for many talented sportspersons.

It’s unfortunate that so many aspiring athletes cannot achieve their dreams because of this.

AR Modak, South Africa