Page 40 - T4 Education PR REPORT - August 2024

UAE’s Nargish Khambatta named Finalist for inaugural Asia Education Medal | UAE News 24/7
Nargish Khamba ais the Principal and CEO of GEMS Modern Academy,
an independent interna onal school in Dubai, UAE, which was named in
the Top 10 shortlist for the World’s Best School Prize for Innova on 2023.

Having integrated technology and entrepreneurship into its curriculum,
the school has seen a 37 per cent year-on-year rise in student
par cipa on and na onal and interna onal collabora ons with the likes
of DFC, SAP and Microso .

Recognising the need to prepare students for an uncertain future, GEMS
Modern Academy introduced a number of technological innova ons into
its curriculum and prac ces to include the region’s first online report
card system, developed en rely by students and teachers. The school
also introduced a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programme, as part of
which students from Grade 2 onwards bring their own learning devices.

In 2015-16, a er sending teachers to Carnegie Mellon University for
training inScience, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths(STEAM) and
technology integra on, the school incorporated the disciplines into
classrooms. Furthermore, a er partnering with Harvard Project Zero, the
school developed thinking rou nes and a mul disciplinary approach
towards innova on, known as the future’s curriculum method, which has
been adopted by several other schools.

Altogether, this has led to an entrepreneurial mindset that the school
fosters. Star ng in primary school with Unit of Inquiry projectsand
moving on to Challenge-Based Learning in middle school and the
school’s Prism Project and Entrepreneurship and Innova on Programme
in senior school, GEMS Modern Academy provides what it calls a
scaffolded strategy for developing cri cal thinking, problem-solving,
design thinking and a growth mindset.

Khamba a’s outstanding leadership led her to receive the first-ever
GEMS Excep onal Head of School Award in 2018.

Her philosophy is that all children should be given ample opportunity to
discover their self-worth, interests and passion in a secure and happy
environment, which helps them grow into confident young adults with a
sound intellectual and moral compass to guide them to their goals.

Mayank Dhingra, Senior Educa on Business Leader at HP,
said:“Congratula ons to the UAE’s Nargish Khamba a on being named
Finalist for the Asia Educa on Medal 2024. Her passion and dedica on to
transforming educa on will inspire countless others to follow in her
footsteps in building a world where quality educa on is enjoyed by all.

“HP has a bold goal to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people
globally by 2030. Only by joining forces and aligning with NGOs,
government, educators and businesses can we truly improve the
educa on environment. The Asia Educa on Medal brings together all
those who are changing the face of Asian educa on, whose work we
must all learn from if the world is to meet the Sustainable Development
Goals by 2030.” he added.
https://uaenews247.com/2024/08/07/uaes-nargish-khambatta-named-finalist-for-inaugural-asia-education-medal/ 2/4