Education News

Teachers in Bahrain are campaigning for a 30% hike in their salaries and are threatening to go on strike if their demands are not met, reported the Gulf Daily News. The Bahrain Teachers Society has called off industrial action prior to a meeting with MPs this week but it is warning disruption will occur if no agreement is reached; the government has offered teachers a 10% pay increase.

Parents of pupils attending the Sun Rise English Private School in Mussafah in Abu Dhabi are refusing to pay increased tuition and transportation fees, reported Gulf News. The school issued a circular in May advising of a hike in costs but parents say the combined fees have risen by more than 70%. The school claims the increase was with the backing of the Ministry of Education to help fund its relocation.

Over Dhs250m has been pledged so far to the Dubai Cares campaign, surpassing the Dhs200m target less than one week after the program was launched, reported Gulf News. The campaign, which aims to educate one million children from poor countries, has received several large contributions from local businessmen, includinig Dhs100m from Sunny Varkey, Chief Executive of Verkey Educational Group, and Dhs5m from Dr. Derek Bokhta, General Manager of ET Kerney Limited and Micky Jagtiani, Chief Executive of Landmark Group.

Al Fahim Group has acquired a 24 per cent interest in Knowledge Horizon, an international knowledge transfer organisation based in Dubai, reported Gulf News. Knowledge Horizon offers professional qualifications through its association with international professional bodies such as The Cambridge International Diplomas from the University of Cambridge International Examinations.

Prince Hassan of Jordan has unveiled the Centre for European Studies that will bring together institutions of learning in Europe and the Middle East to allow students to explore the complex relationships between and within these regions, reported the Jordan Times. The centre, which will be open to Jordanian, Palestinian, and Israeli students, will offer classes at the universities of Trier, Dusseldorf and Berlin.

Dubai’s ruler has directed that Dhs30m be set aside for more than 3,000 students across the UAE so that they can stay in school, reported Emirates Today. The grant, issued by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will go to Emirati and resident children, including orphans and students who come from needy families.

The British University in Dubai triumphed over a range of international universities with a winning bid to host the 17th International Conference on Management of Technology next year in the emirate. The conference aims to tackle key issues arising from the application of technology in the knowledge economy. It will attract renowned academics and practitioners from all over the world in the area of IT management.