Ministry level education representatives from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are on a mission to bring greater levels of inclusive education to their school districts. They are visiting Canada to experience various inclusive practices and how to implement them, and they are seeking the advice from school boards that are championing this cause. The Avon Maitland District School Board is one of their stops.
“The education landscape in the UAE is changing at a very fast pace. There is a very unprecedented educational reform going on on all levels” says Mohamed Helmi Gritli, Advisor- Minister of State for General Education. “The quality that is expected from educators and leaders in education needs to be elevated to international standards, and everyone needs to take responsibility to achieve those goals.”
Members of the delegation are looking at promising practices of inclusion to fulfill their commitment of long term inclusive education in their school districts. The Canadian Centre of Inclusive Education at Western University suggested the AMDSB as a leader.
Members from the UAE met with Learning for All coaches and other systems leaders and toured some of our Secondary Schools to observe various practices first hand.
It is an honour to be recognized on a global scale as leaders of inclusive education and we are extremely proud of our staff members and their continuing efforts in making that a reality.