International Fund for Houbara Conservation Launches ‘Conservation Education: the Houbara Model' Portal in Line with the UAE's National School Curriculum

 

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 08 September 2023: The International Fund for Houbara Conservation (IFHC), the global leader in pre-emptive species conservation, has launched the conservation education online portal, as part of its ‘Conservation Education: the Houbara Model’ programme. The new portal was unveiled at IFHC’s pavilion today at ADIHEX, held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). 

 

Intended for teachers and students of public education in the UAE, the portal offers an entertaining range of educational lessons, interactive games, and information about Al-Sana’a which focuses on Emirati heritage, social traditions, and etiquettes. The innovative portal also aims to highlight the principles of sustainability and environmental conservation in relation to challenges such as pollution, climate change, and other threats facing humans and wildlife.

The launch of the portal was held in the presence of representatives from the UAE Ministry of Education, the Emirates Foundation for School Education, houbara ambassadors, and other ADIHEX visitors. With the portal now live, students can register and access various educational practices, which will assist them to gain deeper insight on many subjects including science, geography, mathematics, and social studies. 

 

During the ceremony, Hamda Al Ameri, Senior Education Specialist at the International Fund for Houbara Conservation, lauded the partnership with the Ministry of Education, the Emirates Foundation for School Education, and various schools and educational institutions across the UAE. “The portal seeks to achieve IFHC's strategic goal of shaping the thinking mindset of future conservationists. With the support of our partners and in line with the educational objectives of UAE, IFHC has charted a roadmap to further the vision of its ‘Conservation Education: the Houbara Model’ programme and other initiatives to aid in the preservation of wildlife species on a larger scale.”

 

Furthermore, the portal aims to enhance the learning experiences of young students and offer access to interdisciplinary modules created in the form of gamified educational models. The portal also provides educators and teachers with professional development opportunities and helps them prepare lessons in more engaging ways that will effectively influence the mind, behaviors, and career aspirations of students. The portal not only provides educational materials for students, but also for teachers and parents, allowing them to contribute to building the capabilities of their children and expanding the sources of knowledge at their disposal.

Currently, the portal offers three educational videos narrated by renowned experts Dalmook Al Muhairi and Hamad Al Raisi. These videos showcase the traditions and heritage of the Emirati culture, lending insight into the significance of a “Majlis” and the life of a houbara conservationist and his passion for his profession and nature.     

The portal also features four additional educational games, including the Centennial in Review, a game which reflects the story of the first 50 years of successful conservation efforts in the UAE, Journey of a Bird, a game launched as a classroom tool allowing students to take on the role of an ecologist to explore the animal behavior of houbara, while learning about mathematical, geographic, and scientific concepts from the K-12 curriculum as well as the Immersive Desert Survival Challenge and the Free the Houbara Challenge.