Explore the Arbor School’s ecological approach to education

In a world beset with environmental pollution, habitat destruction, climate change and the many ecological, social and economic problems that arise from them, a new school in Dubai is calling for a fresh approach to education.

The brainchild of Praxis Education, the Arbor School follows the National Curriculum for England with a focus on ecoliteracy, sustainability and environmental justice. Company CEO, Dr. Saad Al-Omari, believes that an ecologically-focused education is the key.

“Ecological thought,” says Dr. Al-Omari, “represents the cutting edge of contemporary thought in the developed world. It has evolved into a coherent set of scientific, environmental, economic, artistic, ethical and educational ideas that underpin every aspect of life in a fragile and increasingly strained global environment. Ecology and environmentalism are excellent lenses through which to examine and assess the great accumulation of knowledge and experience – the culmination of millennia of inquiry – that is available to our students in the ‘information age’. We believe that this corpus is the heritage of all, regardless of gender, nationality or culture, and we aim to provide our students with the intellectual tools to explore and experiment independently with this knowledge and to pursue their interests within it with passion, dedication, and a keen awareness of their ethical responsibility to our planet and the impact they may have on the lives of present and future generations.”

“Human impact,” continues Dr. AlOmari, “is having serious consequences on the biosphere, which are impacting not only ecosystems, but also economies around the world, leading to an increase of hardship in societies on every continent and on generations as yet unborn. A contemporary ethic based on compassion and responsibility towards both the human and non-human world is urgently needed. It is this higher ethical sense that we aim to instill in our students, in the hope that they will form a vanguard generation that can begin to reverse the harmful trajectories we see unfolding around us.”

The Arbor School represents the latest contribution from a group of educators who have long been committed to delivering ethical, compassionate and inclusive education tailored to the specific needs of society within the context of the Gulf.

“It is the crystallisation of many of our passions and beliefs about what education ought to be, so we are directing all our energy and resources into making it the best school possible, and a flagship in the world.” Mr. Charles Grayhurst, the Principal of the Arbor School, says that “the curriculum offered at the Arbor School is an essential response to changes in the nature of education, as well as changes in society and the global environment. We will be enriching the curriculum to reflect our commitment to environmental mindfulness, inclusion and project-based, experiential and outdoor learning to sharpen each student’s critical thinking skills by raising their awareness and understanding of the world around them, whilst encouraging them to seek solutions that initiate change.”

To read the full-length story with the Arbor School, check out the online issue of Mother, Baby & Child – available to read now for free!