Tuesday, April 18, 2006

And the train took off…

Out of all the ministries in the UAE I believe that the ministry of Education is the most difficult to fix, as someone once said "it's the ministries' crematory" "محرقة الوزارات".

Now everyone knows how badly education in the UAE needs to be changed, improved, and made better in whatever way possible, I'm just wondering, is the current minister the one who's going to do that, or are we to wait few more years, generations, for the right one?

Dr. Hanif has been a minister for few months now and the thing he do the best I believe is pose for pictures, he is in every single newspaper every day, how's that going to help the ministry?! It needs someone who works night and day for this country instead of someone who attends every single party where there are any Sheikhs.

One other thing he is good at is talking, he talks, talks, talks about everything, yet he never says anything about what is being done to change the education here!

I watched an interview he had on TV last week, not because I'm interested but it was the only available entertainment in the car, and Dr. Hanif was talking about everything that the people don't want to hear or things that are none of his business. He talked a great deal about a university that's opening in Dubai when he has nothing to do with higher education! Then he went to talk about his kids when honestly, I don't think anyone give a damn. All he was saying are general things that could be said about any other ministry instead of talking as an educator, about education, which is what the people want to listen to and know about.

My favorite part was when he said و انطلق القطار or 'the train took off', talking about the ministry of education and all the changes. First thing that came to my mind was "he's joking, he didn't really say that!" turned out he did and he was not joking about it.

People, you've been warned, the train took off, so sleep with one eye open!

Two things I don't get are, why did he choose a train? It's not part of the culture and there's not train in the UAE, wouldn't it be more interesting if he changed it to something like a Bus? I see the connection between that and schools, or maybe a camel? Just to make sure that kids are connected to the culture. The other thing is, what did he mean by it taking off?

I might just contact the administration in the university and see if they can give us a new slogan, maybe something like ' و انطلق الصاروخ أو الكونكورد ' 'the rocket took off, or maybe the concord'.

On second thoughts, we will leave the rocket for a university in RAK.

I will just observe and see where the train is heading.

16 comments:

Esperanza said...

Let me assure you, the "train" is heading no where :D

Personally, I don't think he's gonna improve our educational system!

MJ said...

I think... the train might just take us back in time.

oh, and btw, he's in the newspapers today too, in the article about the new campus for UAEU.

Thanks for passing by!

Esperanza said...

There's a new campus for the UAEU! I thought they were having financial problems!

Anyways, we need a visionary. Someone who believes in the power of education. Someone who sets a goal and works hard to achieve it.

MJ said...

Someone in there got the funding and the 'University Town' is supposed to be ready by 2010.

>>Anyways, we need a visionary. Someone who believes in the power of education. Someone who sets a goal and works hard to achieve it.<<

How many leaders who are also educators are there?

Arabized said...

higher education is none of his business!

try to at least focus on the primary and seconday schools. at least fix some problems. goodness. he's hopping around from one place to another.

and UAEU is not his territory.

UAEU has been planning for a new campus for a long time and they really need it. It holds the most students. There should be wayyy more funding for it.

Esperanza said...

The UAEU campus, is it gonna be a co-ed campus?

Someone should tell the new minister the difference between the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education :p

BuJ said...

very nice new look to the blog MJ!!!
did rana design it?

i would like a new cool look to match my facelift.. but i think i tried to do it a few months back and lost my posts!!!

was it easy?

MJ said...

Esperanza,
It will all be on the same campus but seperate buildings except the IT building (which is almost ready now) which is designed in a way that the same building will be for both male and female students and yet seperate. very confusing. I might post a picture to explain later. There are some labs which will be open for female students two days a week and for male students two days. Other than that, seperate buildings.

Buj,
Thank you! I just found it at some random website and you can find the link below, and rana didn't design it. It was very easy since I only did few changes. I was told it's 'depressing' and 'blah' so I might change the colors. What do you think?

and mabrook elface left, you do look younger. ;)

doesn't it hurt to smile like that all the time?

Arabized said...

this "rana" character seems very talented.

MJ said...

Not at all. I actually was SHOCKED when Buj guessed RANA designed it! I was like 'WTF!'

Arabized said...

wtf be 3anich, shes more talented than you are. dont hate, appreciate.

oh thanks for inivting me and fazz to baskin robins. you know, for paying ;)

MJ said...

Update: Invitation was canceled.

Cause of cancelation: Biz and MJ had a long fight/debate/discussion about Cadillac Escalade and Biz insisted that the VAN(Escalade) is cooler than the TRUCK one(EXT).

oh and btw, we have baskin robbins in our univeristy, you don't.

Arabized said...

do you understand the concept of a van? if you do, you would clearly see that an escalade is not a van. im seriously going to stab, you ignorant monkey.

i showed a few girls a pic of the escalade and its no van, they concurr. habla.

MJ said...

Ya habla! I know it's not a van, I just said that to annoy you.

Did the girls say which one is cooler? the Escalade or the EXT?

BuJ said...

smiling uses 15 muscles while frowning uses 22.. so of course it doesn't hurt to smile!!! don't ask me why,, but i heard this fact somewhere.. i try to smile whenever possible.. especially when people are angry with me, because it saves energy from my part and makes them angrier :)

nice blog layout.. it's more mature definitely and more calm.. but not boring and depressing.. bil3aks.. it's easier on the eyes with no sharp contrasts etc.. i like it.

i heard rana's quite good with IT stuff etc.. so i assume she helped you out.. bas i guess i was wrong eh... yalla baseeeta :)

mind you.. correction.. i asked if rana designed it.. i did not guess that :)
wait a minute, does it mean she actually designed it?

MJ said...

>>I just found it at some random website and you can find the link below, and rana didn't design it<<

I bet smiling like in the picture uses 50 muscles!