Abu Dhabi, June 10, 2008 (WAM) -- For their substantial achievements in the world-renowned Kumon Mathematics programme, 163 Abu Dhabi grade school students were honoured last night in an award ceremony held at the Intercontinental Hotel.
The ceremony was conducted under the Patronage of HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the Emirates Foundation. The Abu Dhabi Kumon Educational Fund, provides financial reward to high achieving students, is the result of a joint collaboration between the Emirates Foundation, one of the leading philanthropic institutions in the UAE, and the Japan Oil Development Company (JODCO), a leading Japanese oil exploration company. Fourteen of the highest achieving students were presented with a certificate and a AED1,000 tuition award. The award was made possible due to financial support through the Emirates FoundationJODCO Educational Fund for the Younger Generation, which seeks to promote the reputed Kumon educational technique for improving the standard of elementary mathematics education in Abu Dhabi. "One of the greatest gifts we can give each other is the gift of opportunity. The Foundation is proud to jointly sponsor the Educational Fund, which is providing opportunities for students to participate and progress in the Kumon programme and to develop overall academic competencies," Khuloud Al Nuwais, Director of Projects at the Emirates Foundation, said. During the 2007-2008 school year, 2,400 students in nine schools took part in the Abu Dhabi programme. Through the Kumon method, the brilliant Japanese technique of teaching arithmetic, students can improve their math skills and also sharpen lasting concentration and self-study habits, which persist through later stages of schooling and development. The programme is in use in 43 countries around the world and has been well-established for the past 10 years in Abu Dhabi with participation from approximately 20,000 students. Several dignitaries were in attendance at the ceremony, including Sheikh Zayed Bin Mansoor Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Director of Abu Dhabi Educational Zone. Guests also included coordinators from the Kumon programme, school principals, as well as students and family members. This years tuition award recipients are: Mohamad Saeed Althib, Ahmed Khalifah Al Mazroui, Hmeid Mohammed Askari, Fahd Mohamad Alhammadi, Ali Abdullah Alshihi, Mohamad Yahya Shaheen, Majed Yousif Ibrahim, Yousif Ayman Almansouri, Yousif Ali Alsaad, Saif Sameer Altahboosh, Mohamad Hamad Rashid, Adnan Sulaiman Ballaith, Abdul Rahman, Abdul Hameed Khuri, and Ahmed Saeed Althib.Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2008.
