A UAE minister has praised dozens of gifted Emiratis who graduated from a forward-thinking course aimed at nurturing the country's brightest talents.
Pupils aged between 10 and 17 have sharpened their skills in a range of fields - from astronomy and engineering to cyptology and biomedical science - during a summer initiative held at Khalifa University in partnership with Johns Hopkins Centre for Talented Youth.
The Sandooq Al Watan initiative was held over a period of two weeks, with a ceremony held at the university on Thursday for the 120 graduates.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Tolerance, was among those on hand to celebrate the high achievers.
“Through their ability to look forward to a better future and their creativity in working on innovative solutions, we ensure new horizons of development and prosperity for our society,” said Sheikh Nahyan.
Simeon Brodsky, director of CTY, said the pupils reaped rewards for their efforts during the course.
“They grew both academically and socially as they discovered the joy and hard work that comes with being challenged at an appropriate level,” said Mr Brodsky.
Mohamed Al Qadhi, director-general of the Sandooq Al Watan scheme, told the National that during the first edition of the programme held last year, 100 gifted students were identified and 50 of them were supported through advanced learning summer programmes.
“Our summer programme is only one piece of the puzzle as we also offer spring and winter programmes along with career guidance counselling, scholarships and much more,” said Mr Al Qadhi.
The course was part of a wider effort to identify 2,000 gifted children and help them to unlock their potential.
Another 100 Emiratis will start the programme on Sunday at Ajman University.
One of the graduates said the programme allowed him to develop new skills, make new friends and become closer to fulfil his dream to be part of the UAE’s space programme.
“My mother sent my name to Sandooq Al Watan last March and I was surprised and happy that they picked me to attend their spring and summer programmes,” said Ali Bin Shaheen, a 17-year-old Emirati from Dubai.
“In spring, I learned a lot about entrepreneurship, robotics, mathematics and other subjects that made me build new skills and make new friends.
“This summer, I had the chance to concentrate on one subject and I picked my favourite subject which is Biomedical Sciences.
“The programme will prepare me for my dream of getting a scholarship through Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre and within that scholarship, I can study physics and biology which will lead me to space science.”
Pupils can start applying for Sandooq Al Watan upcoming programmes in September by filing an application online through the website www.mawhibatna.ae.
