Encouraging Reading Development in Kids: A Distinguished Principal in UAE Spuriously Encourages Parents to Foster a Love for Reading in Children
Title Revamp: "Best Principal Award: Lee Dabagia Stresses Importance of Parental Involvement and AI Responsibility"
After clinching the Best Principal Award at the ADEK Awards 2025, Lee Dabagia of Summit International School in Abu Dhabi, passionately urged parents to champion reading and responsible AI usage among students. He attributed his win to the unfaltering commitment of his teaching team, and when discussing his victory with Khaleej Times, he said, "I don't want them staring at screens all day; let's make sure there's a stack of books at home."
In the modern age, Dabagia, a seasoned educator with over 30 years of experience, expressed concern over the influence of AI and social media on student learning. He shared his worries stating, "Kids can access AI tools even within 'lockout browsers.' We need to instill a sense of respect and responsibility when it comes to technology use."
Beyond AI: The Role of Social Media
Beyond AI, Dabagia highlighted the disruptive influence of social media in education and student wellness. "Keeping students focused on authentic learning is a challenge when social media is only a click away," he explained. Dabagia emphasized spending significant time teaching students about online responsibility to ensure their safety and well-being.
Celebrating Education Excellence
The annual awards event, organised by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), recognized outstanding achievements across the emirate's education sector. More than 33 educators, schools, and initiatives were honored in 30 categories, and over Dh7 million was distributed in prize money.
"The award categories cover both individuals and entire programs," said Mariam Hallami, Executive Director of Nurseries and spokesperson for Early Education Initiatives.
Expanding Categories
This year's awards showcased new categories, such as artificial intelligence, anti-bullying, inclusivity, and student well-being. According to Hallami, schools presented many new programs in response to these expanded categories, "The award isn't just about the outcome; it encourages schools to launch new initiatives and increase their impact."
Among the notable winners was Al Huiteen School in Liwa, which received the Best Anti-Bullying Programme Award. The school emphasized strengthening relationships and fostering a sense of accountability and mutual respect among students to combat bullying. Liaili Abu Rumman, a social worker and instructor at Al Huiteen School, mentioned, "Our program has played a crucial role in the success of our anti-bullying efforts, which helped us earn this award today."
The British International School Abu Dhabi triumphed in the Best Parental Engagement category, winning Dh100,000. Aine McGlue, the Head of Secondary, shared, "We value parental input and run events to foster connections between parents, students, and teachers. This award money will be reinvested to develop and expand our initiatives."
Additional Reading
- UAE: How AI is Changing Classrooms and Improving Student Learning
- UAE to Introduce AI as a Subject for All Public School Students Starting Next Year
- UAE: Student Develops AI System to Help Police Detect Crimes Before They Occur
- UAE: 94% Students Use AI Tools for Studying but Many Experience Tech-Related Stress
Written by Nandini Sircar, a passionate advocate for education, space, and women's stories. You can reach her at nandini@ourwebsite.
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- Lee Dabagia, the winner of the Best Principal Award, emphasizes the importance of responsible AI usage among students and encourages parents to champion reading as well.
- The Best Parental Engagement category at the ADEK Awards was won by The British International School Abu Dhabi, which values parental input and runs events to foster connections.
- In the modern age, educator Lee Dabagia expressed concern about the influence of AI, social media, and technology on student learning, advocating for significant time spent teaching students about online responsibility.
- The expanded categories for the awards this year include artificial intelligence, anti-bullying, inclusivity, and student well-being, with schools presenting new programs to increase their impact and encourage education excellence.
