UAE ministry's Dh3bn to help families

SHARJAH // The Ministry of Social Affairs is spending almost Dh3billion a year supporting 92,000 families, the minister of social affairs has revealed.

Maryam Al Roumi told the second session of the Sharjah Media Centre's Ramadan majlis last week that up to 200,000 people benefit by helping the families.

The ministry provides 625 Emirati households with an income and helps to market handmade items created by each family.

Ms Al Roumi said 668 elderly citizens have been found new accommodation in five specialist-care homes in the past two years. "The ministry has also had created 334 nurseries to look after the children of working mothers while they pursue their careers," the minister said.

She added the ministry was also working with education officials to integrate children with special needs into mainstream schools that can address their needs.

Also present at the majlis, held at the Sharjah Islamic Museum Centre, was Humaid Al Qattami, the minister of education.

Mr Al Qattami said the country has made tremendous progress in education in the past 42 years.

"In 1971 the UAE had 13 private schools and today there are 489, while the number of government schools has increased from 132 in that year to almost 700 now," he said. "There are also more than 80 government and licensed private universities in the UAE today."