A student in Abu Dhabi has become the first Emirati to earn the Abitur certificate for passing the German secondary school final exams.
Ahmad Khalid Al Hossani on Tuesday met Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, who congratulated the outstanding student.
Abitur is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, in Germany or German schools abroad. In German, the word Abitur (which has roots in old German and Latin) has come to refer to “someone who is going to leave” — like a student graduating high school.
Al Hossani earned his school-leaving Abitur qualification after faring very well in all his tests at German International School Abu Dhabi. Sixty-four Emirati students are currently studying at the school, following a directive by Shaikh Mohammad in 2005 to set up the Educational Programme for Cultural Exchange. The programme seeks to enrol students in the most prestigious international curricula in line with a policy of openness towards other cultures and to encourage cultural communication.
On Tuesday, during the meeting at Sea Palace, Shaikh Mohammad congratulated Al Hossani and wished him success, hailing him as a role model for other students.
He expressed his pride at the potential of UAE nationals and their ability to achieve outstanding results and contribute to the service of their country and society.
Shaikh Mohammad also stressed the role of the family in providing students a conducive environment to achieve academic excellence. He commended Al Hossani’s parents, who were present at the meeting, for encouraging their son to excel academically.
Shaikh Mohammad also praised the accomplishment of Al Hossani and the ability of Emirati youth to secure superior results on his Twitter account @MohamedBinZayed on Tuesday.
The Abitur higher education entrance qualification is one of the highest regarded in the world, and includes modules focusing on critical thinking, analysis and creativity. The certificate enables students to study at German universities and other major international universities.
Tuesday’s meeting was also attended by Sara Awad Eisa Musallam, chairperson of Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), and Mohammad Salem Al Dhaheri, adviser to the ADEK chairperson.
SOURCE : GULFNEWS