UAE citizens take to Twitter to raise educational and health concerns

Issues range from studying Arabic in schools to highlighting the neglect of mental health and the rising costs of health and education in the UAE.

Education

Dr Mona Al Bahar (@monaalbahar), emphasised the importance of physical education, music classes, and social and volunteer programmes in schools.

Dubai Abulhoul (@DubaiAbulhoul) said: “Educational systems need to start teaching students how to think for themselves, not force ideas on them.”

Dr Suraksha Malhotra (@dubaibestdoctor) said her children still could not understand Arabic after 10 years of study.

Mona Alhamed (@MonaAlhamed) believes “real investment is in teachers. Have higher standards for teachers and raise their salaries and their importance. Stop lowering expectations from Emirati students, demand more of them in schools and universities”.

Ahmed Amiri (@AhmedAmiri) suggested that all those who want to teach, regardless of university degree, should be given training and allowed to teach.

Health

Amna Al Hashemi (@hashemitsu) said: “Mental health, mental health, mental health. It is incredibly neglected and should be improved as an important health issue.”

Ashfak Khan (@ashfak007) requested that the UAE government make education and healthcare more affordable.

Dr Abeer Al Emaratiya (@3aboreeta) complained that doctors’ salaries in most Emirates were still a problem.

Ayesha, (@bintabdulaziz22) called for a law that would only allow doctors to prescribe medication in their field and not step on toes of other specialities, for example psychiatry. She also suggested pharmaceutical company representatives should pay fewer visits to doctors as it contributed to them prescribing more medication.

Hamda Al Marzouqi (@MsAlMarzouqi) said some hospitals need to be rebuilt and go through an organisational revamp.