Latest news with #ADEKAwards
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Outstanding contributions of Abu Dhabi's education sector shine at ADEK Awards ceremony
11 June 2025 22:10 AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)In a vibrant celebration of educational achievement and innovation, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), honoured winners of the second edition of the ADEK Awards on award, spanning 30 categories, acknowledged outstanding contributions across the emirate's education sector, including teachers, programmes, and institutions that exemplify excellence and a forward-looking approach in line with ADEK's strategic over 500 submissions and a total prize pool of Dh7 million, this year's awards showcased both the depth and diversity of the educational initiatives taking place in Abu to Aletihad, Mariam Al Hallami, Executive Director of Early Education at ADEK, emphasised the evolution of the awards."This year, we expanded the categories to include critical emerging areas such as AI integration, anti-bullying initiatives, inclusion and wellbeing, and Arabic and reading programmes," Al Hallami submission underwent a rigorous review process conducted by expert panels tailored to specific topics, she continued."One of the most exciting outcomes was how schools responded to these new categories," Al Hallami noted. "Once they saw the potential recognition, many schools ramped up their efforts, launching new programmes and refining existing ones, particularly around AI and student wellbeing."The award journey spanned approximately three months, beginning with open submissions and followed by detailed assessments."The awards are not just about celebrating end results. They serve as a catalyst for innovation and improvement in education. They encourage schools to reflect on their practices and to strive for measurable impact," Al Hallami addition to the awards, ADEK is fostering student engagement in technology through summer and winter camps focused on AI, and initiatives like 42 Abu Dhabi provide further training and exposure for young of the institutions recognised for its holistic approach to education is the British International School Abu Alan Cocker highlighted the importance of community involvement and parental engagement."We believe in listening first," he said. "Our school uses a 'You Said, We Did' model to incorporate parent feedback into decision-making. We run regular workshops, coffee mornings, and language classes to ensure parents feel empowered and included," Cocker told emphasised that true educational success involves a partnership between the school and families, particularly during pivotal moments such as transitioning into school, selecting academic pathways, or navigating personal challenges. "We don't just deliver decisions to families; we walk the journey with them," he said. "This is their school too, and it needs to feel like a safe, inclusive space for everyone."
Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Award-winning principal urges parents to boost reading habits among children
After winning the Best Principal Award at the ADEK Awards 2025, Lee Dabagia of Summit International School in Abu Dhabi, actively called for parental involvement in reading and AI responsibility among students. 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.'
