ABU DHABI // UAE driving schools are switching in increasing numbers to e-learning to help drivers be safe and responsible on the road.
Waleed Mamoun Afanah is among those who have benefited from the online learning.
Instead of sitting through long classroom lectures on driver attitude and responsibilities and figuring out what each traffic sign, road marking and traffic control device at intersections signifies, the 27-year-old Jordanian simply used his laptop to access the audio-video material from the comfort of his Barsha Heights office.
This month, Emirates Driving Institute (EDI) in Dubai launched the online service for light motor vehicle licence candidates. Students can register at www.edi-uae.com. Each lecture is divided into five to six segments and lasts an hour. After each video, a student must attempt to answer a short quiz consisting of four questions before moving on to the next segment.
“I signed up for the theory, classroom-based lectures last September but I just didn’t have time,” said Mr Afanah, a Dubai resident who has held a Saudi driving licence for 10 years.
“The great thing about it is the flexibility it offers. It was easy for me to stay focused as there were no distractions in my office.”
Since Mr Afanah has a valid GCC driving licence, he was required to take only two instead of eight mandatory lectures.
“The first lecture focuses on how to be a good driver, that no matter how stressful or terrible your day is you have to learn how to control your emotions,” said the marketing manager. “The second lecture helps us understand the concept of traffic signs and signals and obeying the traffic rules.”
At present, the e-learning material is available in English only and covers two lectures. Other languages will soon be introduced, according to a member of EDI’s technical team.
The benefits of e-learning are similar to other online service provisions, such as financial savings through reduced travel needs or reduced environmental impact, said Dr Britta Lang, the UAE country director for UK consultancy Transport Research Laboratory.
“E-learning enables self-paced learning, allows repeated viewing of content and provides consistent materials so all users are guaranteed to receive the same content,” she said.
Wasim Abbas, 29, also signed up for the two e-lectures at EDI.
The Pakistani accountant said the facility allowed him to work at his own pace, in his own time and free from distractions.
“The videos and quizzes were quite helpful,” he said. “Being a safe and responsible driver means caring about the safety of others on the road.”
EDI will continue to offer classroom-based lectures in many languages at its three training and testing centres. At the moment, it conducts more than 100 lectures a day. Each lasts an hour.
Mr Abbas, who is required to take six more lectures at the centre, looks forward to interacting with his instructor.
“I’ll get to hear the questions I may not have thought to ask on my own,” he said.
Belhasa Driving Centre, which offers lecture classes at its training centres in Al Quoz, Al Wasl, Jebel Ali and Nad Al Hamar, plans to offer an e-learning service.
“We are coordinating with a company to make the videos,” said its marketing manager Bilal Ahmed. “We are discussing how to go about it.”
Dr Lang said poorly designed e-learning could overload students with a mix of animation, sounds, text and videos and understimulate those learning.
“It is imperative that e-learning is well designed and that organisations invest the time and money to ensure that the e-learning is optimal.”
Emirates Driving Company in Abu Dhabi also plans to go digital.
“Digitalisation is a priority,” said its chief executive, Khaled Al Mansoori.
“Our e-learning project, which is under process, will give us the flexibility to offer all courses in every available language at any time, and allow a more extensive use of audio and visual material.”
rruiz@thenational.ae
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
