Ministry of Education and UAEBBY Form Partnership to Develop Reading in UAE Education

The Ministry of Education (MoE) and the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), representing the 'Read, Dream, Create’ initiative, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support learning programmes and academic research, while helping to develop various aspects of the education system.

The MoU was recently signed by HE Marwan Ahmed Al Sawaleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Academic Affairs, and Marwa Al Aqroubi, President of the UAEBBY Executive Board, at Ishbilia Primary School in Sharjah.

HE Marwan Sawaleh highlighted that the MoU was signed in conjunction with the UAE’s Month of Reading, in which the MoE launched many initiatives aimed at fostering a love of reading among students. He pointed out that the MoU also aligns with the Ministry’s objectives to collaborate with all departments to assist the educational process.

“The Ministry of Education has signed a number of understandings and agreements to unite the combined efforts of educational institutions and entities in the UAE. This is in line with the directives of the wise leadership to highlight the fundamental role played by education, reading and knowledge in order to create a knowledge-based economy,” he said.

Al Aqroubi noted the agreement comes in line with the UAEBBY's approach to foster a love of reading among schoolchildren. It also underlines the pivotal role played by the UAEBBY in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in promoting a culture of reading and developing education in the UAE.

Al Aqroubi said: "As per the agreement, we will take part in a series of workshops targeting various community segments, including teachers and librarians, to share expertise, technical and scientific advice with professionals from the UAEBBY and the ministry. We will also support the implementation of joint events."

Under the terms of the MoU, both parties will collaborate and coordinate their efforts to encourage and organise story readings. The stories will be read by permanent members of the UAEBBY and the winners of the Etisalat Award for Arabic Children's Literature, who will be selected by the two bodies.

The UAEBBY will provide free books for school libraries on International Children's Book Day, which falls on April 2 each year. The books will be approved by a technical committee assigned by the Ministry of Education.

Following the signing ceremony, Marwan Al Saleh participated in a reading session for schoolgirls at Ishbilia Primary School where he read the book ‘Baba Sultan’, written by Salha Ghabesh.

The UAEBBY is the national branch of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). It was established in 2010 upon an initiative by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Patron of the UAEBBY, to encourage publishing and the distribution of high quality Arabic children's books.

The UAEBBY aims to provide promising and professional authors, illustrators and publishers in the UAE with opportunities for communication and exchange of expertise and capacity building.
Established in Switzerland in 1953, IBBY represents an international network of organisations and individuals from all over the world who are committed to encouraging a culture of reading and bringing children and books closer together.