AJMAN // Boys as young as nine are learning civil defence and military skills as part of an Ajman Police summer programme.
About 190 Emirati and expatriate boys between nine and 15 years old are participating in Future Police, which officials hoped would foster new skills and strengthen the boys’ affiliation with the UAE through sports, military and educational activities.
Such activities include physical fitness exercises and loading a gun, according to Maj Nasser Obaid, head of training at Ajman Police.
“We focus on explaining to them the definition of internal security, and let them work as one team and comply with laws, which aims to instil self-esteem and confidence in them,” said Maj Obaid.
Abdullah Al Nuaimi, an Emirati Grade 9 pupil, said he took part to learn about military life, as he wanted to become an officer.
“I learnt how to be disciplined and on time, as well as about military movements, which is the thing I had an interest in the most,” said the 14-year-old.
Saud Abdullah, 15, said his father told him about the programme and he agreed to learn more about military life.
“The thing that attracted me most about military life is the discipline and organisation, and I knew during the programme that any officer needs time and to work hard to reach the rank that he wants,” said the Grade 9 pupil.
The week he spent with an Ajman Civil Defence crew gave him more knowledge about firefighters’ work. He learnt how fires start and to use an extinguisher to put them out.
Khalfan Al Shamsi, an Emirati student in Grade 7, said the hardest exercise was to learn to load and unload a weapon.
“It is the thing that I loved most. It was hard in the beginning and I used to spend time on unloading and loading the gun. But with training, every day it becomes easier and I spend less time [on it],” the 12-year-old said.
Abdulaziz Ammar, a Grade 5 pupil, rode the Dubai Metro for the first time during the programme.
“I was happy while riding it as I learnt that the main station is in Al Rashidiya and how to use the metro ticket, which I did not know before,” said the 10-year-old.
Zayed Al Nuaimi, an Emirati pupil in Grade 3, said he learnt what behaviour was good or bad for the community.
“I learnt that we should not litter to avoid distorting the natural view of our emirate,” the nine-year-old said.
The programme started on July 12 and ends on Thursday. It runs five days a week from 8am to 1pm each day.
roueiti@thenational.ae
