Schools



They were the pioneering days of education in what was to become the UAE.

Abu Dhabi in the late 1960s was still without electricity, telephones or air-conditioning, but desert traditions were giving way to modern ideas about educating children. Many of the older generation could neither read nor write, and those girls who were lucky enough to go to school would often leave when they reached 14 so they could marry.

When oil production began in Abu Dhabi in 1962, the country had a mere 20 schools catering to fewer than 4,000 students. But thanks to Sheikh Zayed, who became Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966 and founded the UAE in 1971, prospects were changing. He believed girls should be able to stay on at school and allocated some of the revenue beginning to flow from the oil industry to further this ambition.

One result was Umm Ummar, launched in 1968 as the first girls' secondary school in Abu Dhabi. Gwen Gardiner, from Northern Ireland, was the only English teacher at the school, which accepted youngsters who had finished at the city's three primary schools. Most of the 15 teachers giving lessons in subjects such as science, home economics and physical education were from Jordan and Sudan and all were women; the six classrooms they used were all strictly off-limits to men.

"The school had no telephone, no electricity and no air conditioning," says Mrs Gardiner, now an 81-year-old great-grandmother who lives in the southern English town of Cheltenham. "We really were in the desert, but it was very successful. The girls loved it and they learnt to speak English very well - with an Ulster accent."

Mrs Gardiner was well-travelled even before she arrived in Abu Dhabi. She earned a teaching diploma in the north of England, taught in Portsmouth on England's south coast and worked in Bahrain and Kuwait, where she met her husband William, a dentist.

At the time, these other Gulf states were slightly more developed than Abu Dhabi, where the couple, who had three children, lived in a villa close to the Central Hospital, where Mr Gardiner worked. This hospital was later incorporated into Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and demolished only last year.

Few modern teachers are comfortable without an array of technological support, including electronic projectors, computers and smart-boards, but in the late 1960s Mrs Gardiner had only a blackboard and a piece of chalk.

"I would go round the entire class reading and I would correct their pronunciation and at the end I would ask questions," she says. "They so enjoyed their English and they knew they would travel and speak English. It was a new world for them. They were marvellous, they were so keen and they worked so hard."

While Mrs Gardiner based her teaching on a Jordanian syllabus, she would set exercises herself and include poetry in the lessons. As there was no photocopier, she had to type the examination papers herself. Each night the girls would be given some English words to learn and would be tested on their spellings in the morning.

"That was the way to keep them interested," she says. Her pupils were hungry to learn: "They knew very little - they started right at the beginning but they made progress very quickly. If you set homework they would always do half a page extra."

The school day began at 7.30am. At 11am teachers and pupils would break for lunch - usually a bread roll and cheese - before lessons continued until 2.30pm. Typically. the girls were the daughters of merchants and fishermen. The oil boom had yet to transform lives and, by today's standards, the families had modest incomes. There were no taxis, SUVs or chauffeur-driven cars and the girls were taken to and from school by bus.

The UAE as a whole was unrecognisable from the modern country of today. Even a visit to Al Ain entailed an epic journey across the desert as there were no proper roads and drivers often became bogged down in the sand.

Abu Dhabi itself had few of the amenities that today are taken for granted. "There were souks, which were great fun, and there were little Indian shops and tailors," recalls Mrs Gardiner. "And there was Spinneys, of course."

As well as doing their homework in their free hours outside school the girls would enjoy shopping trips to the souks or visits to friends. While the school later got an electricity supply, in the early days there was little to ease the searing desert heat, but Mrs Gardiner says she and the girls coped - because they had to. Such was the closeness of the relationship between Mrs Gardiner and her pupils that she spent much of her free time with them. The girls would often visit her at home and play traditional British party games, such as pinning the tail on the donkey, musical chairs and pass the parcel.

"The local girls used to bring me chickens and eggs," says Mrs Gardiner, during one of her regular visits to the UAE. "A big disadvantage was when they went home they spoke in Arabic, but when they came to visit me they had to speak in English."

Later on, it became slightly more difficult to form bonds of friendship with the pupils. The development of the oil industry meant the country increasingly attracted expatriates from several other Arab countries and class sizes swelled. As early as 1971, when the UAE was founded, the number of pupils had grown to 28,000. At Umm Ummar, where once there were 10 or 15 girls in a class, numbers grew to about 30, and the school brought in English teachers from Jordan. The new pupils "were all Arabs coming in from Iraq, Jordan and Egypt", recalls Mrs Gardiner. "They weren't so good at English because the class sizes were large."

Mrs Gardiner has nothing but fond memories of the Emirati girls she taught, but says some of the expatriate children were more demanding. "They wanted everything and it didn't always suit me," she says.

By this time, schools exclusively for expatriate children had also opened. The largest British school in Abu Dhabi, the British School-Al Khubairat, for example, can trace its origins back to 1965.

The Gardiners, however, sent their children to boarding schools in England - an arrangement that left the couple's Emirati hosts, with their tightly knit families, bemused. "They thought it was so inhuman to leave your children in a boarding school back in England," she says. "We were a bit of an enigma. They learnt from us."

A modest number of Emiratis began sending their children abroad for education from as early as the 1960s, when local schools were poorly resourced compared with those in countries such as England.

Among those sent overseas was Mohammed al Fahim, who went to England in 1964 and later wrote about his experience in the book From Rags to Riches. After six months in England, he wrote, on his return to Abu Dhabi he felt like "a fish out of water" and contrasted the local schools with those in the UK. "I had already learned more in my six months in England than my former classmates would glean in the next two years," he wrote. "The local school still lacked the proper equipment, qualified teachers and an atmosphere that was conducive to learning."

During the era when Mrs Gardiner taught in the UAE, however, local schools were rectifying many of these shortcomings.

When she returned to England in the late 1970s, after about a decade in the UAE, Mrs Gardiner was in for a rude awakening. She took a job as a teacher in a state comprehensive school that taught children of all ability ranges. "The Arab girls would bring me flowers and little presents," she says. "When I went to the comprehensive school and said, 'Will you give out these classbooks?,' a girl said, 'That's what you're paid for, Miss'."

Many of Mrs Gardiner's former pupils went on to university. She remains proud of their achievements and likes to visit them during her annual trips to the UAE. Among the most distinguished is Dr Hassa al Otaiba, whom Mrs Gardiner remembers teaching for several years from 1968 onwards. Dr Otaiba was appointed the UAE's ambassador to Spain in October last year. Others have gone on to raise families, but they retain the respect for education instilled in them by Mrs Gardiner decades ago. Now their children are grown-up and they have free time, some have returned to their studies. "All these girls have gone on to do so well," she says. "Now they are wives and mothers, and one is talking about doing a PhD at the University of Dundee. Another girl, she's already done a PhD."

Such has been the pace of change in the UAE that Mrs Gardiner and her son Alex, who accompanied his mother during her recent visit to the country, struggled to identify the location of Umm Ummar School, which she believes has been incorporated into a much larger school. She hopes to visit it during her next visit to the UAE.

While Abu Dhabi has been transformed since Mrs Gardiner taught here, she insists it has lost none of its appeal. "It's a complete contrast," she says. "It's like the Manhattan skyline but it still has a beautiful atmosphere. It's very peaceful. I love the flowers and the trees. The great charm has not changed."

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

RESULTS

West Asia Premiership

Thursday
Jebel Ali Dragons 13-34 Dubai Exiles

Friday
Dubai Knights Eagles 16-27 Dubai Tigers

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

Match info

Liverpool 3
Hoedt (10' og), Matip (21'), Salah (45 3')

Southampton 0

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

Analysis

Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m

Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.

7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.

8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.

8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m

Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

Squad: Majed Naser, Abdulaziz Sanqour, Walid Abbas, Khamis Esmail, Habib Fardan, Mohammed Marzouq (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai), Khalid Essa, Muhanad Salem, Mohammed Ahmed, Ismail Ahmed, Ahmed Barman,  Amer Abdulrahman, Omar Abdulrahman (Al Ain), Ali Khaseif, Fares Juma, Mohammed Fawzi, Khalfan Mubarak, Mohammed Jamal, Ahmed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Ahmed Rashid, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Wahda), Tariq Ahmed, Mahmoud Khamis, Khalifa Mubarak, Jassim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Yousef Saeed (Sharjah), Suhail Al Nubi (Baniyas)

The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars

Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

 

  • 1st Test India won by 304 runs at Galle
  • 2nd Test Thursday-Monday at Colombo
  • 3rd Test August 12-16 at Pallekele
Selected fixtures

All times UAE

Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm

Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm

Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm

Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm

Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm

Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Company%20Profile
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JERSEY INFO

Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).

Second leg

Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm

Games on BeIN Sports

A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
Details

Through Her Lens: The stories behind the photography of Eva Sereny

Forewords by Jacqueline Bisset and Charlotte Rampling, ACC Art Books

TOP%2010%20MOST%20POLLUTED%20CITIES
%3Cp%3E1.%20Bhiwadi%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Ghaziabad%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E3.%20Hotan%2C%20China%0D%3Cbr%3E4.%20Delhi%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E5.%20Jaunpur%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E6.%20Faisalabad%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E7.%20Noida%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E8.%20Bahawalpur%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E9.%20Peshawar%2C%20Pakistan%0D%3Cbr%3E10.%20Bagpat%2C%20India%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%20IQAir%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S

Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900

Engine: 937cc

Transmission: Six-speed gearbox

Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm

Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km

Copa del Rey

Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)