GLOBE IN THE UAE: OCTOBER 6-7 VISIT OF CHARLIE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004609

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/PPD; NEA/ARP; ECA/A/S/A

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO TC
SUBJECT: GLOBE IN THE UAE: OCTOBER 6-7 VISIT OF CHARLIE
KELLET



1. SUMMARY: ABU DHABI PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE ORGANIZED
THE VISIT OF MR. CHARLIE KELLET, SENIOR PROGRAM ANALYST
OF GLOBE USA, TO THE UAE. THE PURPOSE OF HIS VISIT WAS
TO WORK WITH THE UAE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (MOE) ON AN
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR GLOBE AND TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES
OF CONCERN THEY MIGHT HAVE. KELLET'S VISIT CAME AT A
CRUCIAL TIME WHEN MOE HAS JUST TAKEN OVER GLOBE PROJECT
FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. PAO EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR
AND KELLET WORKED INTENSELY WITH MOE AND THE VISIT
RESULTED IN SPONSORING FIVE MOE STAFF TO ATTEND THE
THIRD GLOBE REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN BAHRAIN, IN AN
ATTEMPT BY MOE TO QUICKLY MOVE THE PROJECT INTO
IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.


2. PAO ORGANIZED THE VISIT OF MR. CHARLIE KELLET, SENIOR
PROGRAM ANALYST OF GLOBE USA, TO THE UAE TO WORK WITH
PAO AND MOE STAFF ON IMPLEMENTING THE STALLED GLOBE
AGREEMENT IN THE UAE. PAO EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR
ACCOMPANIED KELLET THROUGHOUT HIS MEETINGS WITH MOE
UNDERSECRETARY, EDUCATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS,
TEACHERS AND SUPERVISORS.


3. THE MEETING WITH THE UNDERSECRETARY WAS VERY
ENCOURAGING AND PRODUCTIVE. KELLET DISCUSSED
IMPLEMENTATION AND FUNDING ISSUES RELATED TO GLOBE AS
WELL AS REGIONAL COUNTRIES' INVOLVEMENT WITH GLOBE.
KELLET MENTIONED THAT THE MIDDLE EAST IS CURRENTLY THE
FASTEST GROWING REGION IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS, IN PARTICULAR IN BAHRAIN, EGYPT,
LEBANON AND JORDAN. THE UNDERSECRETARY WAS PLEASED WITH
THE INFORMATION HE RECEIVED, STRESSED THE FACT THAT THE
MINISTER HIMSELF IS PROUD THAT GLOBE NOW IS THE FULL
RESPONSIBILITY OF MOE AND IS KEEN ON ACHIEVING FAST AND
SUCCESSFUL RESULTS IN THIS REGARD. MOE WILL BE
ORGANIZING A CEREMONY TO CELEBRATE THE OFFICIAL SIGNING
OF THE NEW AGREEMENT.


4. KELLET THEN MET WITH 9 TEACHERS, 5 SUPERVISORS AND 4
STAFF AND GAVE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION ON GLOBE'S
CONCEPTS AND OBJECTIVES, AND PROVIDED EXAMPLES ON DATA
COLLECTION BY STUDENTS AROUND THE WORLD AND HOW THIS
DATA CONCERNS THEIR COUNTRIES. THE PRESENTATION SERVED
TO ACCELERATE BOTH THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND EXCITEMENT
OF THE ATTENDEES ABOUT PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM.


5. RESULTS: DUE TO THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
EXTENDED TO MOE STAFF BY KELLET & EDUCATIONAL ADVISOR
DURING THIS VISIT, THE UNDERSECRETARY APPROVED TO SELECT
AND SPONSOR FIVE UAE FEMALE TEACHERS AND EDUCATIONAL
EXPERTS, TO ATTEND THE THIRD REGIONAL GLOBE CONFERENCE
IN MANAMA, BAHRAIN (OCTOBER 11-15). THE STAFF WILL BE
TRAINED ON GLOBE THEMES AND PROTOCOLS, WILL LEARN FROM
THE EXPERIENCE OF THEIR NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES, AND WILL
MAKE CONTACTS IN THE REGION, THUS ENABLING THE MOE TO
MOVE INTO THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION STAGE.

ALBRIGHT