UAE: Award-winning principal urges parents to boost reading habits among children
An overwhelmed Dabagia, who is a seasoned educator from Indiana, USA, attributed his win to the unwavering dedication of his teaching team.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the event, Dabagia said, 'My advice to parents is limit their screen time at home, make sure there is a library of something to read at home. We surveyed our parents and realised there's not enough reading materia l in their houses... give them a book. It's simple, but true,' urging families to steer their children away from excessive screen time.
Dabagia, who moved to the UAE 12 years ago and brings over 30 years of experience in education and administration, expressed deep concern about the impact of AI and social media on student learning.
He noted that the examination season is increasingly complex due to students' ability to access AI tools even within 'lockout browsers.'
'We are trying to teach our students respect, responsible use of AI... I'm hoping that as we use that model, use it for something more productive and practical, our students will kind of dovetail with that and understand, that this is a tool that can make my life easier, but it's also a tool that I need to respect,' he explained.
Disruptive role of social media
Beyond AI, Dabagia emphasised the disruptive role of social media in education and student well-being.
'Trying to balance our students to authentic learning... Accessing curriculum and putting the social media aside for a time is a big challenge for us,' he said. 'Students are in the privacy of their rooms, but they don't understand how dangerous it can be... so we have spent a lot of time teaching them about that responsibility.'
The annual awards event, organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), celebrated outstanding contributions across the emirate's education sector.
This year, over 33 educators, schools, and initiatives were honoured across 30 categories, with more than Dh7 million awarded in prize money.
'There are basically multiple award categories. Some are individual, and then there is a program award categories and standardised benchmarks... We received more than 500 submissions altogether,' said Mariam Hallami, Executive Director of Nurseries and spokesperson for Early Education Initiatives.
Expanded categories
Notably, this year featured expanded categories, including artificial intelligence, anti-bullying, inclusivity, and student well-being.
'What was different this year is the expanded, new categories... schools did more programs and initiatives to kind of try win this award,' Hallami added. 'So, the award is not just for an outcome, but it encourages schools to adopt new programs and expand their impact.'
Among the notable winners were Al Huiteen School in Liwa, which earned the Best Anti-Bullying Programme Award.
'As part of our anti-bullying initiative, we've implemented a school-wide programme that focuses on instilling core values in students. By strengthening relationships between peers, students, and teachers, we've fostered a sense of accountability and mutual respect. This has played a crucial role in the success of our anti-bullying efforts and ultimately helped us earn this award today, ' said Liaili Abu Rumman, a social worker and instructor at the school.
Meanwhile, The British International School Abu Dhabi secured the Best Parental Engagement Award, winning Dh100,000.
'We've got a really clear ethos... a genuine home away from home for our community,' said Aine McGlue, Head of Secondary.
'We have run parent events such as (different) tools around the city to help parents connect. We have parent heads meetings regularly, which is where they get to come in and meet with the senior leadership team, and we explore initiatives together. Many ideas are generated from the parent community. So for example, if Internet safety or certain aspects of wellbeing are on the parent community's mind, that will drive our agenda. We then action plan together. We come up with 'you said and we did approach' where they know that their (parents) decisions and input is actually driving forward improvements across. This prize money... will go straight back into the community to look at how we can develop and grow our current offer.'
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Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
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'At DXB, biometric smart gates offer seamless passport control with facial verification, eliminating manual checks. Our new 'Unlimited Smart Travel' takes this further, enabling up to 10 guests to complete immigration in just 14 seconds using facial recognition alone.' Beyond passenger flow, AI is working hard behind the scenes. According to Adai, predictive maintenance and AI-driven baggage systems are ensuring near-perfect operations. 'In Q1 2025 alone, DXB processed over 21 million bags with a 99.8% accuracy rate and one of the world's lowest mishandling rates – 1.95 per 1,000 passengers.' These numbers aren't just impressive—they represent a growing commitment to using data and intelligence to deliver exceptional guest experiences. 'This strategic integration of AI across every touchpoint exemplifies how the UAE is setting a global standard for intelligent, customer-centric travel infrastructure,' Adai adds. 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Among these innovations is DXB Express Maps, a dedicated app for Dubai International Airport that provides travellers with interactive 3D maps and a user-friendly interface to easily find gates, dining options, and other facilities. 'Instead of uncertainty, travellers now effortlessly navigate complex terminals, access timely flight information, and manage their journeys seamlessly,' Bin Adai adds. Complementing this is Pocket Flights, an app that gives instant access to real-time flight updates by simply scanning a QR code on flight status screens. Available in both English and Arabic across DXB and DWC airports, it delivers comprehensive information including gate changes, walking distances, wait times, and departure details — all at travellers' fingertips. The Airport Community App, affectionately dubbed the 'mini-AOCC in your pocket,' supports over 59,000 users across 170+ entities in the oneDXB community. 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The National
6 hours ago
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AI video tool that creates 'original series' in minutes sparks fear of replacing scriptwriters and creatives
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Currently on limited release, Showrunner is expected to become widely available in the coming months The launch has reignited debate over whether AI will democratise storytelling by removing production barriers or disrupt the collaborative craft that has defined filmmaking for more than a century. Prof Peter Bentley, computer scientist and AI creativity expert at University College London, said the latest platform makes it 'remarkably quick and easy' to create new works, provided they closely resemble existing ones. 'Creative and highly innovative outputs are not going to be so easy,' he told The National. How it works Showrunner works by letting users input short text prompts, from a few sentences describing characters and setting to more detailed scene-by-scene scripts. The AI then generates storyboards, animates characters, voices dialogue and stitches it all together into watchable episodes. 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'These tools are designed to undermine traditional narrative craftsmanship,' he told The National. 'What is film if not the vision of a storyteller using their own experiences to make you feel something? If you remove that process, is it really a film any more?' Some experiments, such as the AI-generated short film The Ghost in My Machine, showcase the technology's potential for speed and visual novelty, though critics say such pieces often lack emotional subtlety. Mr Hashmi believes audiences will eventually reject AI-only content, though he sees potential for AI to support, rather than replace, filmmakers. He has used AI for storyboarding and visual effects. 'If AI aids the process rather than replaces you,' he said, 'it has a place in filmmaking.' Prof Bentley echoed this, saying AI cannot yet match the originality of a human storyteller. 'We need creative people to make the outputs truly watchable,' he said. Will we need filmmakers? Razan Takash, filmmaker and head of film at SAE University, Dubai, said AI shortcuts essential learning for aspiring filmmakers. ''Instead of learning filmmaking, they're learning film prompting,' she told The National. She compared it to weightlifting: 'You can't prompt somebody else to lift the weight for you and expect to become a bodybuilder.' Ms Takash said AI could offer opportunities to those who understand filmmaking but lack resources. However, she warned that as access becomes widespread, originality could be lost. 'Eventually, everybody's going to have the opportunity to make this kind of content,' she said. 'So no one is special, and it is going to be hard to stand out. We can compare this to the early days of streaming and YouTubers.' Prof Bentley also noted that most AI-generated content is derivative, trained on the work of human artists, which raises copyright concerns. 'Artists may need to license their work for use by AIs, or consider legal action against companies that use it without permission,' he said. No humanity Nada Majdalawieh, a UAE-based master's student in TV and screenwriting at Stephens College in Los Angeles, said students are already worried about how AI will affect their careers. 'Storytelling is inherently human and the idea of replacing that with something generated feels like a step backwards rather than forward,' she told The National. She added that if AI tools take over those creative roles, 'we're not just talking about streamlining a process, we're eliminating entire career paths for creatives who've been working years to find themselves in this industry'. Ms Majdalawieh said AI could eventually automate everything from scriptwriting to directing. 'These aren't distant hypotheticals,' she said. 'They're real concerns already looming over us as students. We can all feel it, and honestly, it's scary.' New access for creators Mohammed Mamdouh, filmmaker and assistant professor of film and new media design at the American University of Sharjah, offered a more optimistic view. He said AI can empower voices previously locked out of the industry. 'AI-generated shows and films empower storytellers who might otherwise be sidelined,' he told The National. 'That's a radical shift in access.' Mr Mamdouh described AI as transformative rather than destructive, calling it 'not the death of cinema' but rather 'the rebirth.' However, he cautioned that AI could compromise filmmaking's collaborative spirit. When the director 'becomes the sole engine prompting alone', he said, the rich dynamic of working alongside production designers, cinematographers and sound artists may start to erode. Industry outlook The AI market in the film industry is projected to grow from $1.28 billion in 2024 to $1.6 billion in 2025 and reach approximately $14 billion by 2033, according to The Business Research Company. The wider AI in the media and entertainment sector is expected to rise from $25.98 billion this year to nearly $99.48 billion by 2030. In the Middle East and North Africa, subscription video-on-demand revenue is forecast to hit $1.5 billion by the end of 2025, driven by platforms such as Shahid, Netflix, YouTube Premium and StarzPlay, according to Omdia, a consultancy firm specialising in technology and media. Analysts say AI could lower production costs and accelerate localisation, while Hollywood studios are already testing hybrid models that blend human creativity with AI-generated visuals. Future of storytelling While the technology gains momentum globally, UAE filmmakers and students remain cautious about fully adopting it. Mr Hashmi believes the pendulum will eventually swing back. 'People will crave original stories made by human beings,' he said. Ms Majdalawieh said students face an uncertain path ahead. 'Filmmaking opportunities will still exist for a while,' she said. 'But there's a growing uncertainty about how long that will last.' Mr Mamdouh said filmmakers must help shape AI's role in storytelling rather than resist it. 'We must shape the future,' he said, 'rather than let it shape us.' On whether AI can truly replicate human emotion, Prof Bentley was sceptical: 'If you don't mind unoriginal and rather drab content, then it will be fine for you. Sounds a bit like many Hollywood movies, so maybe there is a place for AI there.' His advice to creatives and educators: 'Reality is always better than imitation, and AI can only imitate us.'
Khaleej Times
8 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Watch: Meet 8-year-old in Gaza who rescues cats with 'nowhere to go'
The war in Gaza has killed and displaced thousands of Palestinians. In the heartbreaking devastation, many forget the animals that are housed in the Strip. Despite the difficult conditions, Ahmed, an 8-year-old boy who shares stories of gardening and raising pets through an account run by his father and sister, went viral after bidding farewell to yet another cat he rescued. In a video that garnered over 1.6 million views, 'Ahmed the farmer' can be seen asking his beloved Leo for forgiveness for not being able to save his life. The heartbreaking video brought people together from around the world, with many leaving comments to send strength to the young boy. Watch below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aaed Abusweilem (@tasnemaaed) Speaking to Khaleej Times, the young boy's older sister, Tasneem, said that this began when Ahmed's older brother rescued a cat being chased by stray dogs amid the war. "It deeply affected him," she said. "That's when he decided he wanted to help every cat he could." Saving cats in Gaza While cats aren't the only stray animals in Gaza that need rescuing, Ahmed definitely feels for them the most. "The sky is wide. Birds can fly and escape, but cats have nowhere to go," he says, as his sister adds that dogs have now become aggressive due to hunger. Twenty-two months into the devastating war sparked by Hamas' October 2023 attack, Gaza is on the verge of "generalised famine", the United Nations has said. Its 2.4 million residents are fully dependent on humanitarian aid, and live under the daily threat of air strikes. Ahmed doesn't go out to rescue cats himself because of the unsafe conditions caused by the war. His brother and neighbors bring in any injured or abandoned cats. Since then, he has helped save several cats, aspiring to become a professional animal rescuer once the war ends. To save the cats, he shares whatever the family has to eat, which would be bread, rice or canned tuna — if available. "Rarely, small donations of cat food arrive, but they are very limited due to the blockade. The lack of food and other necessities often makes it difficult for the young boy to be able to save all the cats he rescues, but keeps himself going by saying, "at least they died feeling loved, not alone". Some of the cats Ahmed has saved include: - Suzy: The first cat he ever rescued. Ahmed's brother found her being chased by stray dogs during the war and brought her to him. Ahmed grew very attached to her, but unfortunately, she developed a severe abdominal infection. Due to the lack of available medical care, she could not be treated and sadly passed away. Her loss had a profound emotional impact on Ahmed and changed his perspective forever. - Simba: Rescued from beneath the rubble, Simba still lives with Ahmed today. - A small kitten: Found scavenging for food in the trash. Despite Ahmed's efforts to save it, the kitten was too sick and passed away after a few days. - Hopi: Found beside her deceased mother. Although Ahmed cared for her, Hopi's weak immunity led to her eventual death. - Leo: A cat Ahmed loved deeply and spent a great deal of time with. 'Stole my childhood' The young boy, who has been rescuing cats since the age of six, says that the war "stole [his] childhood". "It took away my right to learn, to play, and even to live in a safe home with my family." The worsening conditions in Gaza mean that Ahmed often falls sick and struggles to find medicine. "Many nights, he goes to sleep hungry," his sister says. Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies into Gaza since the start of the war nearly two years ago have led to shortages of food and essential supplies, including medicine and fuel, which hospitals need to power their generators. The boy, however, keeps hope alive through gardening. His account also features many videos of his farming endeavours. In a video shared with Khaleej Times, the young child can be seen carrying a cat and saying that as soon as the water returns, he will plant seeds again and that he doesn't give up. 'I'm a kid… and I deserve to live,' he says.
