Adec hands out nearly one million textbooks

Adec will distribute the textbooks early to ensure all school are equipped to begin the new school year on September 11.

ABU DHABI // The Abu Dhabi Education Council will distribute 900,000 textbooks to state schools in the capital this week, in preparation for the new academic year.

More than 130,000 pupils will go back to school on September 11 with a new set of learning materials developed and distributed by the council.

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"Adec task forces [calculated] the school textbooks needed, the expected number of students in each cycle, and ... a timetable to hand over these books to schools and facilitate the distribution process," said Mohammad Salem Al Dhaheri, the executive director of school operations.

The books, which will be given to school administrators in the next few days, include titles recommended by the Ministry of Education as well as material prepared for the New School Model (NSM).

The NSM, introduced in Abu Dhabi schools last year, uses a hands-on approach to learning.

Textbooks published by Pierce Education and Collins Education will also be distributed.

Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, the director general of Adec, said the council was working to provide all the supplies and facilities for a smooth academic year.

"We are eager to provide all students with a high quality and motivational learning environment, including those residing in remote areas," he said.

Adec will be opening 23 schools in the new academic year. It has also upgraded a number of older ones. About 40 schools have been merged, and 11 were refurbished.

Schools are also being audited to assess their need for furniture, teaching aids and equipment for laboratories, said Dr Al Khaili.