"Smart School" launched to support creativity and innovation
Faisal Matar: Education Minister Jalal Al-Tabtabaee launched the “Smart School – Albus” project on Thursday (October 23) in collaboration with Google for Education, at Jumana bint Abi Talib Girls’ Secondary School, one of the schools implementing the Tracks System. The launch was attended by Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs, Eng. Hamad Al-Hamad, and several Ministry officials, aiming to support creativity and innovation.
In a speech during the launch ceremony, Al-Tabtabaee affirmed that the Ministry is continuing its path of comprehensive reform and development of the education system, in line with the high directives of the political leadership. He noted that the education sector enjoys continuous support and attention, which contributes to enhancing the quality of education and its outcomes, and building a modern, sustainable system that meets the aspirations of Kuwait and its people.
He clarified that education development is not tied to a single project or technological tool, but rather relies on an integrated system that combines modern curricula, educational tracks, teacher qualification, school environment development, and technology. This approach places the learner at the heart of the educational process and equips them with the necessary tools and skills to keep pace with future demands.
Al-Tabtabaee addressed three key messages to teachers, parents, and administrative staff within the Ministry. He emphasized that the success of any development project requires the integration of roles among all stakeholders in the education system and a spirit of teamwork. He highlighted the noble mission of teachers and the importance of their role in shaping the future of boys and girls, noting that teachers remain the cornerstone of development success, regardless of how advanced tools and technologies become.
He described parents as essential partners in their children’s education and success, comparing the education system to a ship progressing toward its goals through a comprehensive partnership among families, the Ministry of Education, teachers, and school administrations. He called on parents to continue supporting their children and providing a suitable home environment to enhance their academic achievement and motivate them to excel.
He stressed that collaboration among education system stakeholders is the cornerstone of achieving the highest educational goals, expressing his gratitude and appreciation to His Highness the Amir, His Highness the Crown Prince, and His Highness the Prime Minister for their continuous support and attention to the education sector.
The Smart School project aims to enhance the effective use of technology in teaching and provide an interactive environment that supports self-directed learning.
On her part, Manira Al-Adwani, principal of Jumana bint Abi Talib Girls’ Secondary School, stated that hosting the project alongside the implementation of the Tracks System represents a comprehensive educational experience that supports the Ministry’s shift from traditional methods to an education model based on research, exploration, interaction, and innovation. She expressed pride in the school’s selection to host the project and implement the Tracks System, emphasizing her aspiration to present a successful model for the school of the future, which contributes to knowledge creation, develops students’ skills, and empowers them with modern learning tools.
Field results: Meanwhile, Labni Al-Tariq, Director of Digital Transformation at Google for Education, explained that the “Albus” project is part of a global alliance and has been implemented in more than 15 countries, involving over 4,000 students and 600 teachers to assess the impact of technology in classrooms. She noted that field results have proven the initiative’s ability to save teachers between 5 and 10 hours per week, while increasing student interaction and self-directed learning rates by more than 70%.
Providing Chromebooks for students and teachers: The project begins its pilot phase at Jumana Secondary School, coinciding with the implementation of the Tracks System. This allows for measuring the impact of integrating the developed educational model with modern technology in classroom practices and the learner experience, providing students with more flexible and interactive education. The project includes providing Chromebook devices to students and teachers, as well as offering comprehensive training and professional development programs for educational staff to enhance the effective use of technology in teaching and create an interactive environment that supports self-directed learning, collaboration, research, exploration, and innovation.
