I always worry when I read of educational managers urging teaching staff to embrace new technology (Teachers must embrace change, April 7). For almost in the same breath, Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, the Adec director general, actually hit the real nail on the head – the teacher lies at the heart of educational reform.
Let me say this very clearly – there is no evidence at all that, after 30 years of deploying educational technology in schools and universities around the globe, learning outcomes have improved. They simply have not.
On the other hand, Finland has gained an enviable reputation for its school system, generally without incorporating technology.
All Finnish teachers must complete a master’s degree in education with specialisation in research and classroom practice.
Finnish teachers use innovative teaching strategies in the classroom. The profession is revered and respected, and the government has no bearing on assessing a teacher’s performance in the classroom.
The Ministry of Education must raise the entry level of teacher recruitment to include an appropriate subject degree, together with a diploma of teaching that includes a practicum element in which teachers receive feedback from exemplary tutors on the craft of teaching.
Committed, passionate, caring and competent teachers, not technology, make the lasting difference upon children’s lives.
Name withheld by request
Promoting healthy lifestyle is not so easy
When you buy food, especially junk food, they offer soft drinks with it (UAE Ministry of Health shocked by report on diabetes, April 7). If you ask them to replace it with a fresh juice, they will charge you twice or three times more than those soft drinks. This culture needs to change. Junk food is also a lot cheaper than any healthy food anywhere in this country.
Also, soft drinks should be banned from children’s play areas. Supermarkets should promote healthy food, instead of chocolates and other unhealthy items. The Government needs to take action in this regard and that’s the only solution for the moment.
Zaki Murad, Abu Dhabi
How to encourage children and young adults to eat healthy when there are advertisements for fast food all around?
It’s also extremely difficult to find restaurants selling healthy meals. I think more such eateries will help diners make better choices for themselves.
Samia Iftekhar, Abu Dhabi
Pupils really need to come to school with lunch boxes, not money. Of course they will buy rubbish if they have the chance – so it’s better to take the chance away and provide nutritious food instead.
Samantha Attfield, Abu Dhabi
Snapchat ban is outrageous
The telecom operators' move to block Snapchat is wrong (Snapchat users in UAE furious as calling features blocked, April 9).
How can the UAE become a technologically advanced nation if every bit of new technology created to help a large population is blocked? Let the market do its work. If phone companies become obsolete, let them reinvent themselves.
Sara Smith, Dubai
Some tenants are troublesome
Regarding Mario Volpi's Q&A column, Jumeirah Village Circle tenant proving almost impossible to evict (April 7), although there are many cases where landlords are really bad in dealing with tenants, there are also those where tenants make the life of landlords miserable.
Since they are not always adequately reported, many think that such cases do not happen. I hope the police/ court can help in getting the tenant in question out of the property.
Brigitte von Bulow, Abu Dhabi
