Top govt official praises Indian schools in Dubai
Dubai, Dec 6: A top government official here has praised Indian schools for helping make Dubai a global destination for education after an official report showed that 83 per cent of Indian curriculum students in the emirates are in schools rated ‘good’ and ‘better’. A report released by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) on November 30 said that 83 per cent of Indian curriculum students now attend schools rated ‘good’ or ‘better’, compared to 73 per cent during the 2022-23 academic year. Director General of the KHDA, Dr Abdulla Al Karam, said, “Dubai has ambitious targets for the growth of its economy and population, and high-quality education will be central to achieving these targets. Our vision is to transform Dubai into a global destination for education, and this starts with every school and every classroom.” “We are grateful to Dubai’s Indian curriculum schools for their support and for being part of a school community that reflects the innovation and excellence that exemplifies Dubai,” he was quoted as saying in a press release by the government of Dubai. (IANS)
Indian-origin novelist awarded Singapore’s highest accolade
Singapore, Dec 6: Eighty-one-year-old Indian-origin writer Meira Chand was among the three Singaporeans conferred the Cultural Medallion, the city-state’s most prestigious arts accolade, in recognition of their artistic excellence and contribution to enriching the country’s arts and culture scene. Chand, fellow novelist Suchen Christine Lim and Malay dance veteran Osman Abdul Hamid received the award from President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at a ceremony held at the Istana on Tuesday, The Straits Times newspaper reported. The award comes with an SGD 80,000 (approximately Rs 49 lakh) grant for each recipient to support their artistic pursuits. A Singaporean of Swiss-Indian parentage, Chand, along with Lim, is the first English-language female writer to be conferred the award since Ho Minfong in 1997. Chand is an award-winning novelist known for her depiction of multicultural societies. Her ‘The Painted Cage’ (1986) was long listed for the prestigious Booker Prize, the report said. (PTI)
Six dead, three
hurt in series of attacks in Texas
Austin, Dec 6: A day-long series of attacks in Austin has left four people dead and at least three injured, and a man believed to be connected to them and the deaths of two people near San Antonio was taken into custody, Texas authorities said. The dead were found in several homes. The injured included two police officers and a bicyclist, police said. The man, who is in his 30s, was charged with capital murder, Robin Henderson, Austin interim police chief, said at a news conference on Tuesday night. His name has not been released. “We strongly believe one suspect is responsible for all of the incidents,” Henderson said of the Austin attacks. She said that police “did not determine that these incidents were connected until the last incident occurred” Tuesday night. The relationship between the suspect and the victims, if any, wasn’t immediately known, he said. (AP)