Dubai [UAE]: Following the approval of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced a new cabinet formation in the country.
The new cabinet includes the appointment of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and the appointment of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Deputy Prime Minister in addition to his portfolio as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Additionally, the new formation includes a major restructuring of the education system in the UAE, the appointment of a Minister of Sports, and a Minister of State for Entrepreneurship.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “Following consultations with President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and after his approval, and in continuation to the ongoing development of the structure of the UAE government, we announce today a new cabinet reshuffle as follows: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum joins the UAE government as Deputy Prime Minister and is appointed as Minister of Defence.”
“Sheikh Hamdan is a true supporter. He is a leader who loves people and is loved by them. We have high confidence that he will be a valuable addition to the UAE government, and a major contributor to shaping the future of the UAE.”
His Highness added, “We also announce today, as part of the governmental amendments, the appointment of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan as Deputy Prime Minister in addition to his portfolio as Minister of Foreign Affairs.
“We also announce the reconstruction of the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council under the chairmanship of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed and Vice Chairperson H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The Ministry of Community Development will be under the umbrella of the Council, as well as the Ministry of Education, higher education, federal universities and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. H.H. Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will also chair the Quality of Education Centre.”
He went on to say, “The Education Council, chaired by Sheikh Abdullah and with Sheikha Mariam as Vice Chairperson, safeguards stability and continuity of education plans and strategies. The council will oversee our national human capital under the guidance and vision of the UAE President, addressing everything from early childhood to general education, higher education, employment, and Emiratisation, ultimately supporting stable families capable of raising generations that are attached to their identity, preserving the values of their society, and keeping pace with all future scientific and technological changes.”
Furthermore, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum stated, “Today, we announce the integration of the Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE) and the Federal Agency of Early Education with the Ministry of Education and the appointment of Sarah Al Amiri as the UAE’s Minister of Education.
“We also announce the appointment of Abdulrahman Al Awar as acting Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in addition to his current post as Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The cabinet reshuffle also includes the appointment of Ahmad Belhoul as Minister of Sports and Chancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology in addition to his duties as Chairman of the UAE Space Agency.”
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid continued, “We also announce the naming of Alia Abdullah Al Mazrouei as Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, bringing her massive experience from the private and government sectors. Her mandate is to create more economic opportunities for UAE nationals in line with the national economy’s robust growth.”
“We would like to thank Sarah Al Musallam for her efforts during the past period and wish her continued success in serving her country,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“May God bless everyone in serving the country and its people… We affirm that change is part of the development journey… and development is part of an ambition that knows no bounds… Our future is brighter as we move forward and dream the best for our country,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum concluded.
New Structure of the Education Sector
The new structure for the education sector in the country comes as part of the sustainable development of this strategic sector. It aims to enhance comprehensive governance of the sector and link it to human development and the community. Additionally, it seeks to improve cooperation among various entities within the educational system to accelerate the implementation of strategic plans and enhance communication, connection, and participation between education and the community.
The initiative also focuses on improving quality, ongoing development and evaluation processes, monitoring progress, and achieving the aspirations and targeted outcomes for all members of society.
The new structure also aims to transform into a sustainable system that considers community members from the beginning of their lives, focusing on developing their educational and professional journeys. It supports lifelong learning and development to ensure continued growth and prosperity for future generations.
The cabinet reshuffle aims to unify the visions between education, human development, and the community, enabling communication and collaboration among various entities to achieve shared priorities. It also targets attracting, retaining, and nurturing talents to enhance education and human development in society.
Furthermore, the new structure focuses on addressing the needs of education and the community at the national level, finding solutions to various challenges to support students, teachers, school principals, parents, and all segments of society.
Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council
The Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council encompasses under its umbrella the Quality of Education Centre, the General Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and federal universities, along with the Ministries of Human Resources and Emiratisation and Community Development, according to the council’s scope of work.
The council’s responsibilities include approving the vision and strategic directions for education, human development, and community in the country, as well as endorsing performance indicators and key targets. Additionally, it will approve frameworks, policies, strategies, legislation, and regulations, overseeing the performance of federal entities related to its scope and monitoring their progress in achieving the set targets.
Quality of Education Centre
As part of the new structure, the Quality of Education Centre is responsible for monitoring and measuring the quality of educational outcomes, student performance, and the efficiency of the educational process in both public and private sectors across all levels, which is achieved through specific, standardised frameworks and tools.
The centre aims to enhance the tools, capacities, and culture of quality measurement within all educational institutions in the country, preparing and publishing reports on the performance quality of students and educational institutions after their approval to promote transparency in the sector. Additionally, it will propose developmental policies to enhance education quality, ensuring alignment with targeted outcomes and the needs of the labour market and community.
General Secretariat of the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council
The new structure for the education sector includes the establishment of a General Secretariat for the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council. It will support the council in its tasks and oversee the implementation of the new structure within a clear strategy for change management.
Its responsibilities also include building a strong digital infrastructure for educational data, linking it with community, employment, and labour market data to support and enhance the decision-making process.
Ministry of Education
As part of the new structure, the Emirates School Education Foundation and the UAE Federal Agency for Early Education have been merged with the Ministry of Education, making the ministry responsible for early and general education stages. Its responsibilities include developing frameworks, policies, strategies, legislation, and regulations related to general education from early childhood to secondary education (both public and private, as well as technical and vocational) for all student categories, including those with students of determination, talented students, and others.
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
The new structure includes the establishment of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, which will be responsible for the frameworks and policies of both public and private higher education, linking them to the labour market to enhance the competitiveness of higher education institutions in the country and support academic research efforts.
Additionally, the ministry will work closely with public education institutions to align educational outcomes with higher education requirements, building strong relationships and joint programmes between education and the labour market to ensure that educational outputs meet the needs of key sectors in the country.
Minister of State for Entrepreneurship
The new cabinet formation includes the appointment of Alia Abdullah Al Mazrouei as Minister of State for Entrepreneurship to leverage economic opportunities for Emiratis and to maximise their benefits from the significant growth of the national economy.
Al Mazrouie enjoys exceptional experience from both the private and public sectors, having extensive expertise in entrepreneurship.
Since February 2022, she has served as the CEO, Khalifa Fund For Enterprise Development, overseeing the fund’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship and support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Abu Dhabi.
She has previously held several prominent positions in leading government entities.