The fifth edition convened under the theme ‘Linguistic Security’, reviewing PISA benchmarks and professional teacher training pathways.
SHARJAH — His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, attended the closing ceremony of the Fifth International Forum for Arabic Language Teachers on Sunday at the Sharjah Education Academy headquarters.
The two-day forum, organized jointly by the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA), was held under the theme “Linguistic Security.” The gathering brought together regional educators, researchers, and institutional partners to examine pedagogical standards, teacher competency benchmarks, and early-childhood Arabic curriculum development.
Addressing delegates, Dr Muhadditha Yahya Al Hashimi, Chairperson of both SPEA and SEA, underscored the structural link between language acquisition, cultural preservation, and measurable academic performance. She pointed to Sharjah’s recent standing in the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), where the emirate secured 14th place globally in mathematics, 23rd in science, and 33rd in reading.
Sharjah’s educational leadership views linguistic competence not merely as a classroom subject, but as a core component of cognitive resilience and national identity. The emirate has mandated stepped-up Arabic instruction in public nurseries, pairing early exposure with specialized teacher-training tracks operated through SEA.
“Strengthening linguistic security is a shared responsibility,” Al Hashimi said, describing Arabic as an enduring anchor of societal identity and academic progress.
Dr Majid bin Muqad Al Hafi, Chairman of the current session of the Board of Trustees of the Arabic Language Educational Centre for the Gulf States (ALECGS), told attendees that frontline educators remain irreplaceable despite the rapid integration of artificial intelligence and educational software. Al Hafi emphasized that regional cooperation across Gulf states is vital to updating linguistic teaching standards to meet emerging technological and scientific requirements.
A commemorative screening, “The Linguistic Impact,” traced the forum’s five-year trajectory, documenting Sharjah’s cultural infrastructure and the civic policies implemented to preserve mother-tongue proficiency across diverse school demographics.
Student representative Saqr Mohammed Al Qasimi delivered an address titled “Thank You, My Teacher,” acknowledging the role classroom mentors play in shaping character and academic curiosity.
Following the formal addresses, Sheikh Sultan presented commemorative shields to institutional partners and researchers who contributed to the forum’s technical sessions.
During a tour of the accompanying exhibition, the Sharjah Ruler reviewed progress reports for the emirate’s flagship “Proud to Be a Teacher” initiative. The program currently supports 113 Emirati educators across local nurseries and private schools, with 62 female educators enrolled in accredited master’s degree pathways designed to build advanced classroom methodologies. Program fellows presented 13 action research papers and facilitated 14 specialized panels during the event.
Sheikh Sultan also met with a non-native Arabic student who presented original calligraphy and illustrations inspired by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi’s publication House of Wisdom, detailing her curriculum journey and the practical strategies that helped her build fluency in the language.
