Dubai: An Indian 7th grader is calling on all UAE students to take part in the world’s largest student contest that has provided school supplies to nearly 100,000 needy students across the globe.
Dubai student Maathangi Anirudh, 11, was chosen as the UAE and Middle East ambassador to the World Education Games (Weg), and wants every student in the UAE to challenge themselves in literacy, science and maths over the next three days for the sake of supporting the Unicef initiative known as ‘School in a Box’ programme.
“All it takes to help needy schools and students in different parts of the world is to sign up online, score well and earn points,” said Maathangi, who goes to Millennium School and is also a Dubai Expo 2020 Youth ambassador.
“It makes learning fun and is giving students a chance to test their knowledge while also supporting an important cause.”
The free competition by 3P Learning — an online learning company — is open for students aged between 4-18 and can be completed in 50 minutes at any time during the day between October 13 and 15, said Maathangi.
According to organisers, nearly six million students from more than 200 countries are taking part.
“Every point earned will be converted into school supplies which will be donated to underprivileged children,” she said.
The School in a Box, to be distributed by Unicef to schools with minimal resources or those that were affected by disasters, contains all the essentials a teacher needs to provide an education to up to 80 students.
Around 60,000 students from the UAE participated in the competition in 2013, according to Maathangi, who has encouraged over 1,000 from her school to take part this year.
Michael Guzder, Executive Principal of Millennium School and Vice-President of Indian Schools, GEMS, said the contest opens the minds and students and gets them to think and do better.
“It opens new horizons and makes students think about those who are less privileged than them. We encouraged all our students to sign up.”
A friend of Maathangi, Venketesan Sundar, a 6th grader from Delhi Private School, said he is really excited to complete all games and is hoping to get top scores.
“I feel proud that I’m in the UAE and I can help someone far away. I’ve been practising for the contest since the beginning of October. I really encourage all students to join the fun.”
The names of the top scoring students will appear on a live digital ‘Hall of Fame’ and winners will be awarded with medals and trophies. Students who complete all games will receive an E-certificate.
To participate, log on to worldeducationgames.com
