Dubai, United Arab Emirates - November 25, 2021:   GEMS Education schools in the United Arab Emirates are celebrating the nation’s Golden Jubilee in style, marking 50 years since the historic unification of the Emirates via a diverse range of 430 National Day initiatives, projects and activities, led by more than 122,000 students made up of 165 different nationalities.

 

The celebrations in GEMS schools across the Emirates include carnivals and parades with traditional Emirati food stalls, music performances, themed dances, art exhibitions showcasing work by students, parents and staff, creative videos, and writing competitions.

 

In addition, many schools have been involved in special National Day projects encompassing design, technology, science, innovation, space, augmented reality, food technology, sustainability and wellbeing, among others.

 

Sunny Varkey, Founder and Chairman of GEMS Education said: “GEMS Education has been embracing the UAE’s rich traditions and culture since 1959, and our students have joined the march to the Golden Jubilee since the beginning of the year. We have put the National Agenda 2021 at the forefront of our educational journey, which has inspired us to support our students’ personal development and academic performance driven by innovation, research, science, and technology.”

 

“We are extremely grateful for the support of the UAE leadership, and proud to have contributed to the country’s world-class education system. As we look to the future and the next 50 years, we will spare no effort to support the nation’s advancement, leading to the UAE Centennial 2071, which values quality education as a precursor to success.”

 

Ghadeer Abu-Shamat, Vice President – Education, GEMS Education and Superintendent of GEMS Al Khaleej International School, said: “The ambitious and clear vision of the UAE leaders and National Agenda 2021 have helped school leaders to stay target-oriented and overcome the challenges through innovative and creative ways to reach the desired goals. We have put student achievement as one of our priorities to ensure all our schools are well placed to unleash the full potential of their pupils, equipping them with 21st-century life skills and preparing them to become the leaders of tomorrow.”

 

Aisha Alghurair, a Year 9 student at GEMS FirstPoint School –The Villa, said: “On the occasion of the 50th national day, we as a nation can proudly look back at our countless achievements. We have built the world’s tallest building, taken steps to encourage the empowerment of women, launched a space programme, and reached Mars, and we are hosting 191 countries to gather and share the greatest innovations of our generation at Expo 2020 Dubai. But we have only just begun and we have so much potential: I cannot wait to see how far we go. We embark on the next 50 years with determination and resilience.”

 

As the largest private K-12 education provider in the world, with a 62-year legacy of delivering exceptional education, GEMS has nurtured a global network of 400,000 alumni, who have gone on to study at the best universities in the world and become professional leaders across diverse industries. GEMS now looks forward to delivering the highest quality, future-relevant education, enhanced with the most advanced technology solutions, in line with the UAE Centennial 2071.

 

In 2014, the United Arab Emirates launched the National Agenda 2021 that includes a set of strategic educational objectives aimed at enhancing the quality of education and teaching methods in the country. The country also launched, in 2017, the UAE Centennial 2071, which focuses on providing excellent education as a key pillar through advanced science and technology, space science, engineering, innovation, health sciences and entrepreneurship.