University students in the UAE will now need to complete three types of practical training as part of their course to earn their bachelor’s degree.
The training was adopted by the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE). Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, said the first practical training is the field training and volunteer hours for students of higher education.
“The second type of training for students is done at an external agency, and it is part of the specialisation accreditation system. The third type of practical training is through which a student acquires labour market skills, and the supervision sector at the MoE monitors this practical training,” Al Hammadi said on Tuesday as he responded to the question from a member of the Federal National Council (FNC), Afra Bakheet Al Alili.
Al Alili had asked the minister during the FNC meeting about the field training and volunteer hours for students of higher education institutions in the country.
She noted that field training is one of the requirements for graduating with a bachelor’s degree in the UAE, but it was noticed that some students undergo training in fields completely different from their specialisations.
Al Alili said she wanted to know about the MoE’s procedures in monitoring the students’ field training process as it affects the efficiency of higher education outcomes.
Al Hammadi explained that the ministry conducts an opinion poll for trainee students twice a year to identify the challenges they face and their views on training. He explained that in the last two years, the practical training system has been updated by increasing the training hours. Some academic disciplines now have 16 weeks of training per year.
He added: “As for the volunteer hours, they are a community service. Many students take the initiative to find the entities or establishments they want to train from, and many of them have acquired skills and experience during the volunteer hours.”
© Khaleej Times
Twitter