Sports council to run swimming, fencing and judo classes at Abu Dhabi community schools

Adek-run schools to promote variety of exercises

The UAE has embraced judo in recent years and found success in amateur and professional competitions. Judo players pictured at the IJF World Judo Tour’s Grand Slam Abu Dhabi. Vidhyaa for The National

Experts from the Abu Dhabi Sports Council have teamed up with the Department of Education and Knowledge to offer children and their families extra-curricular activities in community schools.

The two government agencies signed a pact Sunday pledging to work together to promote sports and physical fitness among the emirate’s youngsters and their families.

Adek operates 15 community schools with state-of-the-art recreation facilities –such as swimming pools, gymnasiums and sports fields – which the sports council will use to host sports competitions and deliver after-school classes. The community schools operate as public schools during the day and double as community centres at night.

“We have the know-how as Abu Dhabi Sports Council, they have the school facilities, so this memorandum of understanding enables us to use the facilities that they have to bring in students on their own time and train them with professional trainers and improve the quality of life for our students,” said Major General Mohammed Al Romaithi, deputy chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. “This will definitely increase their performance in school in general and also will help address obesity and diabetes problems.”

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The sports council will begin by offering after-school swimming, fencing and judo classes for students and families living in the community schools’ catchment areas. More sports will be added in time, said Maj Gen Al Romaithi. The council will also organise evening and weekend sports competitions between community schools.

Adek chairman Dr Ali Al Nuaimi said the classes and competitions will help strengthen the relationship between schools and their neighboring communities.

“The school in the evening will be like a community centre or a hub to serve the community in different aspects, and one of them involves the Abu Dhabi Sports Council,” said Dr Al Nuaimi. “It is enabling the school to play a different role related to integrating with the community. The school will have a role that will play in the evening and during the holidays as a base for the community in different aspects, one of them being sports.”

Since 2015, Adek has purpose-built or refurbished 15 community schools.

“Our plan over the next two years is to have about 50 community schools,” said Dr Al Nuaimi.

Adek and the sports council are also working on delivering special sports and other after-schools recreational programming during Ramadan, which this year is expected to be celebrated from mid-May to mid-June.

For more information about the community schools or to register for classes, visit www.adek.abudhabi.ae or call 800-555.