Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in schools associated with the CBSE of the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of Teachers’ Day in Dubai. It is considered a major step towards promoting innovation and skill development among Indian students studying abroad.
The event was organized by CBSE Regional Office and Center of Excellence, Dubai at the Indian Consulate. The program began by planting a Ghaff tree under the “Name of a tree mother”, which symbolizes stability and development. On this occasion, CBSE Secretary Himanshu Gupta and CBSE RO and Coe Director Dr. Ram Shankar gave information about the global initiatives of the board. Students of Indian High School, Dubai presented a cultural program depicting the culture and traditions of Odisha. The ceremony was attended by more than 225 principals and school representatives of UAE, while schools from 21 countries joined Virtual.
Indian Ambassador Sanjay Sudir appreciated the role of teachers and said that he is strengthening India’s global education identity. CBSE Secretary Gupta also assured CBSE schools to provide all possible support abroad.
In his address, Dharmendra Pradhan described the teachers as the column of nation building and appealed to the institutions to adopt the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He announced that 10 schools of UAE had already pledged to set up ATL. Pradhan said that these labs will promote creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills in children, so that they can be prepared for a technology -based future.
During the program, the minister answered the questions of school representatives from all over the world and discussed opportunities for educational reforms and cooperation. Finally, Consul General of Dubai, India, Satish Kumar Sivan, gave a vote of thanks and high tet was organized.
In the special session, Deepali Upadhyay (Program Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog) and Anil Kumar (Principal, Delhi Public School, RK Puram, New Delhi) highlighted the role of ATLS and said that this initiative will encourage innovation in students in accordance with NEP 2020. This Teacher’s Day celebrations in Dubai were considered a historic moment for CBSE, which proved a strong step towards making it a center of Indian education and innovation globally.
