Sana'a: Acting Prime Minister Miftah emphasized the importance of expanding the schools for gifted students program in the capital and other governorates, and conducting continuous evaluations of this program. This came during his participation in the workshop "Schools for Gifted Students: Between Ambition and Challenges... A Shared Responsibility for Development," organized today at Abdul Nasser Secondary School in the capital by the Secondary Education Sector of the Ministry of Education and Scientific Research.
According to Yemen News Agency, the Acting Prime Minister praised the existing schools for gifted male and female students in the capital and the governorates of Ibb and Hajjah, with plans to add a school for gifted students in Al Hudaydah Governorate soon. Miftah explained that expanding these schools will provide gifted male and female students with a suitable educational environment to showcase their abilities and utilize their talents and intelligence to serve their country in the coming years.
Sheikh Miftah pointed out that family care, nurturing, and encouragement are the primary means of fostering a spirit of excellence in children. He added that the educational administration, including teachers, plays a crucial role in encouraging high-achieving students in their schools, thus opening up further avenues for excellence. He expressed hope that this workshop would achieve its intended goal by highlighting this experience, analyzing its strengths and successes, identifying weaknesses and challenges, and addressing them to ultimately enrich, support, strengthen, and expand the program.
He urged the Ministry and those responsible for schools for gifted students to provide laboratories to underserved schools and to schedule timely access to practical tools for their students. Sheikh Miftah stated, "Attention should be given to visits and cultural activities between schools for gifted students and larger, more populous schools to promote integration and motivate both gifted students and other students to strive for excellence and join the ranks of high achievers."
He also expressed his gratitude to those involved in organizing this evaluation workshop, which should serve as a model for conducting similar workshops in other academic settings, whether in community colleges, universities, or schools in general, at both primary and secondary levels.
For his part, the Minister of Education and Scientific Research, Hassan Al-Saadi, emphasized the importance of concerted efforts and active participation in providing the necessary support to schools for gifted students. This support is crucial to ensuring the schools achieve their goal of fostering creativity and excellence among their students, as they are considered the foremost incubators of future scientists. He urged the workshop participants, including administrators from schools for gifted students and other stakeholders, to develop practical and effective recommendations that can be implemented in practice, while prioritizing key areas.
Meanwhile, the Mayor of Sana'a, Dr. Hamoud Ubad, considered schools for gifted students to be cornerstones of development and progress towards a better future. He affirmed the local authority's commitment to supporting these schools. He commended the efforts of the Ministry of Education and those responsible for these schools, as well as the transparency and standardized criteria used in student admissions.
For his part, Deputy Minister of Education and Scientific Research, Dr. Hatem al-Duais, emphasized the importance of translating the workshop's objectives into practical action through its outcomes and the exchange of experiences among teaching staff and school activities in schools for gifted students. Meanwhile, the Undersecretary for Secondary Education, Dr. Zaid al-Hadour, explained that the workshop aims to analyze the current state of schools for gifted students in order to strengthen their strengths, address weaknesses, and resolve the most significant difficulties and obstacles, thus ensuring the achievement of its intended goals.
The workshop's opening was attended by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Basic Education, Hadi Ammar, and the Chairman of the Academic Accreditation Council, Dr. Adel Al-Matari. Following the opening, representatives from the Abdul Nasser Secondary School in Sana'a (Dr. Mohammed Al-Qasimi), the Martyr Taha al-Madani Secondary School in Hajjah (Nabil al-Hajjaji), the Martyr al-Sammad Secondary School in Ibb (Amin al-Qasim), and the Martyr al-Sammad Secondary School for Gifted Girls in Sana'a (Ruqaya Muthanna) presented an analysis of the current state of schools for gifted students, covering "from diagnosis to treatment, strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and challenges, and ways to overcome them."