Dubai doctor is not representative

• Last Updated: November 18. 2009 8:46PM UAE / November 18. 2009 4:46PM GMT

In reference to Oprah apologises over Dubai episode (November 18), I respect Oprah Winfrey and I think she does a great job shedding light on very important social issues and raising awareness about them. Still, I believe this was a case of bad journalism as she should have got her facts right especially since Dr Lamees Hamdan discussed religion and culture, two very sensitive topics for a lot of people. Yes, Dr Hamdan is a positive representative when it comes to being an educated Emirati mother and an ambitious woman with a successful career, but there are many Emiratis out there who struggle to pay bills. This woman was not a fair representative of the local people.

Hind al Yousef, Abu Dhabi

Taxi advertising is a danger and an eye sore

Of late, I have come to note that some of the capital’s taxis have sprouted hideous rooftop and boot appendages purportedly for use in the advertising of goods and services. But because they are so seriously ugly, I shall note down the goods and services they promote and never buy them. Ever. 

Furthermore, I find it incredible that such a lapse has occurred when so much time, money and effort has gone in to the beautification of Abu Dhabi. Surely these signs must be distracting and unsafe to fellow drivers and therefore should be banned. Forever.

Mohamed Kanoo, Abu Dhabi

Please can someone reassure me that the newly fixed ad signs on the silver taxis are just on a trial basis. It has been noted that not only are they ugly, but they block the brake lights and adversely affect the aerodynamics of the vehicle due to their size.

Tell me that they will be removed immediately as they conflict with the policies of beautifying the city and road safety.

Samar al Husseini, Abu Dhabi

A passport to a future career

With reference to Rym Ghazal’s opinion article Where am I from? Er, let me just check my passport (November 12), I think it’s ridiculous how much importance is given to passports in the UAE. I hadn’t experienced it myself until very recently, so I did not realise how much of a menace it really is. As a senior year student at university, I have started looking for employment. I have the second highest GPA in my college, completed my internship at a prestigious audit firm and have a long list of extra-curricular activities listed in my CV. Yet, the first thing that I’m asked anywhere is my nationality.

I’ve had an established bank in the capital contact me when I submitted my CV after intentionally leaving out my nationality. The caller was courteous and professional, but her first question was: “What is your nationality?” On hearing my answer, the caller quickly thanked me and finished the call. This is borderline racism, and there’s nothing anyone is doing about it.

I have been born and brought up in the UAE, but I cannot make it my permanent home just because my passport holds no value to the people here and I will forever be judged based on it, despite my own accomplishments or what I have to offer.

SA, Abu Dhabi

Social studies can be great fun

I personally take issue with the Al Bayane editorial UAE curricula must be more age appropriate (November 13) as reported in your Arabic News Digest. The editorial reported that the subject of social studies is “boring”. I am a social studies teacher. Currently I teach Grades 7 and 8 here in Abu Dhabi. You can ask any of my students and they will tell you that their social studies class is far from boring. In reading the article, the problem, it seems to me, is in the teaching of the subject. A properly trained, knowledgeable teacher is necessary to keep any student, no matter what age, interested in the subject they are learning.

The true beauty of teaching social studies is how much fun you can actually have with it. Learning history and geography requires many skills that are useful in other subjects as well as in life. Planning activities and lessons for students to use new skills and reinforce previously learnt skills in order to learn about something as “wickedly cool” (an expression I use with my students) as the scientific revolution is both a challenge and a reward. The reward comes when I see my students’ work, listen to their discussions, and hear their opinions, all done with enthusiasm.

That said, if the social studies programme in question is the UAE curriculum, the problem is with the curriculum itself. There is not much substance to it. If it were written differently, teachers would probably have an easier time with it. Another problem that we have witnessed is that the UAE classes have to be taught in Arabic and are typically done so by an Arab from another country. Not only is this person not a local, but he or she may not be a trained teacher. Giving people a book with the instructions to “teach it”, well, you can see the problem.

Heather Wakelin, Abu Dhabi