Page 19 - T4 Education PR REPORT - August 2024

UAE’s Nargish Khambatta named Finalist for inaugural Asia Education Medal | Web Release
Nargish Khamba a is 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 in Science, 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 projects and 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.

Vikas Pota, Founder and CEO of T4 Educa on, said: “The Asia Educa on Medal honours changemakers where
change is needed most. Where learning gaps remain stubbornly persistent and where deep inequali es remain.

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