Work begins for students from teach in Dubai initiative

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai (KHDA) launched this nine-month course last year in partnership with the British University in Dubai (BUiD). Participants of this joint scholarship programme are receiving the Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) from Birmingham University in the UK, in association with BuiD.

Loreine Daou (Lebanese) teaches English at Jumeirah Model School. Ghadeer Naser (Jordanian) and Sahar Adillateef (Palestinian) teach Science at Al Ibdaa Model School while Badoor Kahhat and Nivin Othman teach English at the same school. Ahmed Omran (Canadian) selected the Maths stream at the PDGE programme and now teaches this subject at Omar Ibn Al Khattab School.

Fatma Al Marri, CEO of the Dubai Schools Agency, said, "The programme was initiated to encourage Emirati nationals (male and female) and Arab expatriates who live in the UAE to make a place for themselves in the education sector. We want the participants to develop further in this respectable field. Graduates from the first cohort of PGDE come from different Arab countries, they have been appointed to teach mathematics, science and English in various schools across Dubai."

"Now into its second year of operation, the programme has gained momentum with a larger number of applications for participation in this initiative. New students have already begun their training and are due to complete the course by June next year. Each of the participants receive tuition fees, a study allowance, and a guaranteed teaching post in Dubai after they successfully complete the programme," she added.

The PGDE programme is also open to candidates who do not qualify or who do not wish to apply for the KHDA Scholarship Programme. However such candidates will need to make their own arrangements for the payment of fees, and they will not be guaranteed a teaching post on completion of the programme.