GESS Concludes with Focus on Technology

The 2009 edition of the Global Education Forum and the Gulf Educational Supplies and Solutions (GESS) concluded on Thursday with an emphasis on the role of the UAE in supporting the education field and launching the latest IT technologies in schools.
The three day forum organised by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with Fairs & Exhibitions at the Airport Expo, Dubai, was attended by various Arab, regional and foreign delegations as well as experts in the field of technology and education.
The participants lauded the UAE-Omega's experience in providing their schools, education zones and ministries with the latest technologies on the local, regional and international fields.
Dr Abdalla Al Amiri, advisor to Minister for Education Dr Hanif Hassan, said that the forum achieved its goals in consolidating communication with local and regional academia and different businesses.
The participants got acquainted to the latest technological solutions and programmes that benefit the education system and field.
"The recommendations of the forum also show the interaction between the participants in the workshops and sessions" he said.
The forum recommended that all decision makers in the Ministries of Education and the education zones should be encouraged to utilise technology, serve the educations field and support their decisions. It also recommended to activate the role of the Ministries of Education in providing the education field with the latest information technology infrastructures, IT laboratories and technical support; set up new modern IT standards that support the goals of the schools, education zones and ministries of education.
The exhibition, running parallel to the forum, attracted huge interest from around the GCC. The number of visitors increased by 17% over last year.
Mustafa Zaidan of Al Mazroui Medical and Chemical Supplies remarked that the event has attracted widespread international attention.
"Last year the breakdown of attendees appeared to be some 70% governmental against 30% from the private sector, this year those figures were riverside, which is a healthy sign for the future" he said.