Abu Dhabi, UAE – The United Arab Emirates is preparing for a series of events to celebrate Union Day, recalling the legacy of the founding leader, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who placed education at the heart of his project to build a modern state.
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Sheikh Zayed believed that the renaissance of the Union would only be achieved by building minds before constructing buildings.
Investing in people is the truest way to strengthen national power and achieve sustainable development.
Zayed’s philosophy: Education is the gateway to development and the survival of the Union
Sheikh Zayed, may God have mercy on him, did not treat education as a supplementary service or a social welfare,
Rather, it is considered crucial to the causal relationship between the union’s survival and its dissolution.
He expressed this vision in many of his speeches when he emphasized that “the real wealth of the Emirates is its people.”
A country that does not prioritize the education of its children cannot keep pace with the times or preserve its achievements.
Thanks to this philosophy, education, since the early years of the Union’s founding, has been transformed into a comprehensive national project.
It aims to build a generation capable of bearing the responsibility of development, and qualified to compete in modern sectors.
And capable of protecting the state’s heritage and defending its unity.
دعم التعليم النظامي وإطلاق البعثات الخارجية
Sheikh Zayed, may God have mercy on him, realized early on that building an advanced educational system requires providing schools and teachers.
Modern curricula, along with opening up global knowledge horizons for students.
Therefore, he – may God have mercy on him – sponsored formal education from its beginnings, and supported the establishment of model schools.
Attracting educational talent and developing curricula according to international standards.
His interest was not limited to education within the borders of the country, but he encouraged thousands of students to join foreign missions.
This is to obtain the best sciences and specializations, especially in the engineering, medical and administrative fields.
Graduates of these missions have returned to play pivotal roles in building federal institutions and establishing modern administrative structures.
Establishing the first national universities
As part of his project to localize knowledge, Sheikh Zayed contributed to the establishment of the first national universities, most notably the United Arab Emirates University in 1976.
Which has become a leading research and educational center in the region.
The state, under his guidance, also supported the establishment of specialized academic institutions to train national cadres in various sectors.
This will consolidate the independence of the education system and make it a permanent source of economic development.
Education for development
What distinguished Sheikh Zayed’s vision, may God have mercy on him, was that he did not view education as certificates or traditional paths, but rather linked it to economic and social development.
He wanted an education that would produce engineers to rebuild cities, doctors to promote public health, and experts to lead energy, agriculture, and environmental projects.
Thus, education in the UAE has become a tool for nation-building, not merely an academic system isolated from the needs of society.
A continuing legacy
Today, as the UAE celebrates Union Day, it is clear how the vision of Sheikh Zayed, may God have mercy on him, has become a tangible reality;
The country ranks highly globally in the quality of education and continues to invest in universities.
Scientific research, innovation, and empowering its youth to be the primary partner in development.
The legacy left by Sheikh Zayed continues to illuminate the path of the Union.
He affirms that true progress begins in the classroom, and that building the human being will always remain the greatest achievement of the Emirates.
