GEFT conference for digital empowerment in education

Manama : The second edition of the Gulf Education Future Technology (GEFT), titled “Digital Transformation in Education”, was held yesterday at the Gulf Hotel. 

The forum, aimed at bringing forth innovative ideas to enhance education by utilising technology as a tool, began with the opening speech by Minister of Education, Dr Majid Al Nuaimi.

In his address, the minister spoke about the growing role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education and all aspects of life while highlighting the initiatives undertaken by the ministry in 2009 called ‘His Majesty King Hamad Schools of the Future Project” with the purpose of advancing technology. 

“The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa Prize for the use of ICTs in Education has outstandingly succeeded in encouraging innovations in the area of integrating technology in education,” the minister said. 

He also pointed out the efforts exerted by the ministry to shift from the traditional educational practices to comprehensive E-learning. 

Gerri Burton, Managing Principal of New Learning Ventures spoke about geek economies and intelligent cities, while Mark Chaban, Area Director of Education for Microsoft (The Middle East & Africa), gave a presentation about video advertising of Skype and Minecraft and explained how such application are essential. 

Awards of recognition and appreciation were presented to the speakers, partners and sponsors following which the Education Minister, Dr Majid Al Nuaimi inaugurated the workshops.

The workshops exhibited solutions the technology have to offer for the betterment of the quality of education. 

There were several stalls under the banner of the Ministry of Education in which students from various schools in the Kingdom, exhibited technologically advanced methods used in their schools to provide quality education. Students at one of these stalls from Hidd Intermediate Girls School explained how the programme called ‘Toontastic’ is used in their schools, helps educate students to create, design and narrate stories.