His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visited a number of schools in Umm Al Quwain and Ajman on Sunday morning. He was accompanied during the tour by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; Shaikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami, Minister of Education; Lt-General Musbeh Rashid Al Fattan, Director of the Office of the Vice-President and Prime Minister; Ahmed Abdullah Al Sheikh, Director-General of the Media Office of the Government of Dubai; and Khalifa Saeed Suleiman, Director of the Protocol and Hospitality in Dubai. In Umm Al Quwain, the Director of Al Watan School welcomed the Vice-President, saying his visit would be a motivation to the teaching staff and students. While visiting the school, Shaikh Mohammed talked to the students, teaching staff and mothers who brought their children to the school on the first day of the academic year. He wished them success all along to serve their communities and country. The Vice-President also visited Al Amir Secondary School for Boys, where he exchanged views with the director and teaching staff on the curriculum and preparations for the commencement of the academic year. He visited a number of classes and attended some classes with them. Shaikh Mohammed posed for photographs with the students. In Ajman, Shaikh Mohammed visited Shaikh bint Saeed Model School for Girls, where he exchanged views with the director of the school, teaching staff and mothers of students on the curriculum and preparations for the academic year. He attended some classes and posed for photographs with the students. In Umm Ammar Primary School for Girls, the Vice-President met director of the school, teaching staff and students, who welcomed him. He attended a computer class with the Grade 7 students. The computers were distributed to the students in line with the framework of the initiative of Shaikh Mohammed for the smart education in schools of the Ministry of Education. Shaikh Mohammed highlighted during his tour that education was the basis for progress and pride among the nations, indicating the future of the UAE lies in the development of education, technology and practical training. He appreciated the efforts of the Ministry of Education under Al Qattami, citing the provision of books in time. On his part, the Minister of Education lauded the initiative of Shaikh Mohammed to tour the schools to motivate the teaching staff and students, referring to the efforts of the UAE leadership on providing support to the educational process to upgrade the UAE among the developed countries.