Sharjah 24: The United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) celebrates the International Literacy Day on the 8th of September proclaimed by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to remind the international community of the importance of literacy. It is an essential part of human rights and dignity, to achieve more sustainable communities.

Dr. Najwa Alhosani, Acting Dean, College of Education, said, "The wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates has recognized the importance of investing in the human capital. Investing in the improvement of educational services, which is the first step towards development, especially that a country's gross national product is directly associated with its educational systems, the number of its graduates, and the quality of its educational services".

“The late Sheikh Zayed, may God rest his soul, focused on the importance of providing the new generation, both males and females, with education opportunities insisting that girls' education shall be taken care of as much as boys' education, as he deeply believed in the influential role education plays in enlightening people and nations. Therefore, the UAE government has placed education on the top of its priorities and allocated huge budgets for taking care of this vital sector", she added.

Dr. Alhosani said that the UAE's educational development and excellence throughout the various educational stages is a part of the late Sheikh Zayed's innumerable great accomplishments. He believed that education is the golden gate the countries' fellow men and women can pass to a promising journey of development, prosperity, economic growth, leadership, and innovation in various development domains.  

Dr. Najwa Alhosani also said that the Compulsory Education Act of 1972 is one of the country's most notable achievements in eradicating illiteracy. This act obligates parents or legal guardians to send their children to school. Consequently, schools were established in all areas and cities, and human development has been progressing ever since. In 2012, the UAE Cabinet approved a new federal law regarding compulsory education, according to which education has become obligatory at all school stages. The Compulsory Education Law also dictates that education is a free legal right of every citizen in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, the student is not required to pay any tuition fees in public schools and universities.

Dr. Alhosani added, "in this context, it should also be noted the great significant efforts Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, in women education and empowerment. Her Highness has encouraged women to pursue education, providing them with everything they need to participate in the development of community actively and equally. Not to mention launching the Women's Literacy and Education Strategy in the United Arab Emirates in 1975 and declaring 1988 as the year of Women literacy ".

Finally, the Acting Dean of the College of Education, said, "We are proud to live in the UAE, a country that always aspires for leadership at all domains.  The UAE provides a high-level educational system that enhances the quality of the educational process so that the UAE students would be among the world's best over the next fifty year".