New push to eradicate illiteracy in the Arab World

Source: MBRF. HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VP and PM of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and MBRF Chairman Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as well as Jordan’s Prime Minister Dr Hani Al Mulqi, the Guest of Honour at the launch of the Literacy in the Arab World initiative.

The Literacy in the Arab World initiative has been launched to eradicate illiteracy from the region by Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) in collaboration with UNESCO, the United Nations Development Programme and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiative at the Knowledge Summit 2017 in Dubai, UAE. The project aims to provide 30 million Arab youth under the age of 18 with the right to education by 2030.

MBRF CEO Jamal Bin Huwaireb said that education is the best tool to fight ignorance and extremism. He said, “It is the only way for the development and wellbeing of our people and societies. We’re confident the summit will constitute a roadmap for building and advancing knowledge-based societies in our Arab region. Such societies are built on innovation and creativity.”

Delivering the keynote address at the summit, Jordan’s Prime Minister Dr Hani Al Mulqi said that economic, social, and human structure must be developed to tackle challenges like cybersecurity and growing unemployment.

“We need to focus more on developing the education system and meeting technological development. Jordan has started implementing the 2025 (Sustainable Development) Goals. Youth in Jordan constitutes two-third of the total population, there is a lot of demand for jobs. So it’s very important to have skillful youth that are specialised in technology and innovation to get the opportunities they want and to have more knowledge disseminated in the region,” he said.

The Knowledge Summit 2017, held under the theme Knowledge and the 4th Industrial Revolution, brought together decision makers, thinkers, experts and pioneers in the knowledge industry, as well as scientists, academics and specialists from all around the world, to discuss pressing issues and challenges facing the industry, review best practices and experiences and offer solutions to meet the challenges.

Hashtags: #KnowledgeSummit, #4IR

Worldreader to expand Read to Kids Program to serve Syrian and host communities in Jordan

Worldreader, a global non-profit that believes everyone can be a reader, plans to expand its Read to Kids Program to serve Syrian refugee and host communities in Jordan. The programme supports parents and caregivers to become their children's first teachers, enabling and encouraging them to read to their young children using their mobile phones.

The Read to Kids mobile reading programme in India cultivated more than 60,000 readers over nine months through support from Pearson. Worldreader is now committing to expanding into Jordan to help Syrian and Jordanian children become lifelong readers. The organisation will work with Arabic publishers and partners to digitise and disseminate high-quality Arabic children's reading books to 50,000 households across the country. The programme will also work with educators and publishers to curate a psychosocial collection of books and activities that encourages stories and reading as a safe way to explore emotions and generate healing.

"Encouraging parents to get engaged in their children's learning through reading books has been outlined as a key priority of Jordan in 2016. The research is clear on the importance of reading for brain development and long-term success in children's lives. We are pleased to work with Worldreader be able to offer this innovative programme to the people of Jordan as well as the Syrian nationals who have sought refuge within our country," said HE Dr Omar Razzaz, Jordan's Minister of Education.

Parents and caregivers will be able to access this programme from an Internet browser on their mobile phone or by downloading the Read to Kids app from the Google Play Store. The books are curated to match children's interests and developmental readiness from birth through age 12.

Worldreader plans to launch Read to Kids Jordan in late 2017. The programme will be made possible through a US$1 million grant from private philanthropic organisation Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), with additional support from Jordanian social and education entities. The organisation is seeking additional funding and support from organisations wishing to help promote reading and education to refugees in Jordan.

"Worldreader is an exemplary organisation providing critical literary resources to enhance children's learning and educational development," said Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of the SNF. "SNF is proud to partner with Worldreader on Read to Kids Jordan, a critical initiative that aims to support early literacy programmes for 50,000 Syrian and Jordanian children, and as a foundation to continue to respond to the devastating crisis and its impact on refugee and host-community children."

"At a time when world leaders are closing their doors to refugees, conflict-affected families need every tool to ensure bright futures for their children," said David Risher, CEO and Co-founder of Worldreader. "We have seen firsthand the impact that digital reading has on children and families in India and we are proud to bring this same opportunity to all children in Jordan—including those who have been affected by the worst humanitarian crisis of our time—through the Read to Kids programme. Every child should be able to benefit from the magic of reading."