Abu Dhabi to build 18 new schools in 2010

Dignitaries at the Building Schools Exhibition, where the development of 18 new schools was announced.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has unveiled a school facilities program at the Building Schools Exhibition, held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on 13th and 14th December 2009.

The school facilities program will see the building of 18 new schools across the emirate of Abu Dhabi starting in mid-2010. These are the first new schools to be developed under ADEC’s 10 Year Strategic Plan.

“ADEC’s 10 Year Strategic Plan is a historic transformation of the education system that will deliver educational excellence. Providing students with world class learning environments is a key element of our 10 year plan and is the foundation for achieving excellence,” said HE Salem Al Sayeri, Acting Director General of ADEC.

Musanada, a government initiative devoted to developing and managing cost-effective and responsive services for the government of Abu Dhabi, will provide design and construction management services, as well as construction supervision for each of the 18 new schools.

Musanada

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“Our government leaders have said that education is one of the government’s top priorities for the emirate so we see our role in ADEC’s school facilities program as more than just being a service provider,” said Musanada, CEO Mohamed Khalifa Al Fahed Al Mehairi. “This MOU is a sign of our commitment to the young people of Abu Dhabi and the future of our emirate.”

ADEC’s new school designs promise to be economical as well as easy to build and operate. For the first time in the UAE, sustainability features have been incorporated into school design. Energy efficient HVAC systems, water saving devices, orientation, insulation and shading devices have all been carefully considered and planned into the school design.

Other key features of the new school designs include special attention to maximizing the use of daylight, and maintaining indoor air quality acoustics and thermal comfort to provide students and teachers with a healthy, safe and stimulating work environment.

Labs and ICT rooms will also be furnished and equipped with the latest technology, and every educational space in the new school buildings will be fitted for wireless internet connections.

For the first time also in the UAE, the schools will feature dedicated classrooms for music, art and design and technology that will be fully equipped to support diverse learning opportunities. The new school designs will include sport facilities, swimming pools, auditoriums, libraries and other spaces which can be used by the community after school hours.