New back-to-school programme to inspire creativity, reading in students

A new Back-to-School programme featuring a roster of workshops and sessions was launched  by MAKTABA at the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi).

The programme, which will run until Oct.28, combines learning and fun while aiming to inspire creative and analytical skills in children as well as encouraging them to read.

Focusing on the importance of reading, learning, and researching skills for students, the programme is being held virtually via Microsoft Teams, allowing children across the emirate to participate in all activities and events. Sessions are open to students of all ages in all public and private schools, institutions, and educational centres — as well as People of Determination and students at charitable centres.

Shaikha Mohamed Almehairi, Library Management Department Director at DCT Abu Dhabi, said, "By building core reading and research competencies at an early age, we open new frontiers of knowledge development and ensure that our children are prepared for a lifetime of successful learning. Through its various components, the Back-to-School programme will also bolster the teaching skills of faculty members, enabling them to keep pace with the latest educational methods to best equip them to educate and inspire our future generations."

The programme includes 32 workshops supervised by the five public libraries managed by DCT Abu Dhabi’s Dar Al Kutub sector. Zayed Central Library will deliver 10 workshops, Khalifa Park Library and Al Bahia Library will both offer five workshops, and Al Wathba Library and Al Marfa Library will each host six workshops.

The programme also includes four professional development workshops for teachers and librarians at public and private schools in Abu Dhabi, presented by education specialists. These workshops aim to develop teaching capabilities and aid integration with the curriculum throughout the year. The workshops include: ‘How to stand out’ and be an ambassador of excellence, an introduction to Dar Al Kutub’s ‘MAKTABA’ digital platform, identifying student potential in ‘How to discover the talented?’, and a therapeutic writing workshop.

WAM