HH Sheikh Mohammed attends launch of World Bank’s global education platform

In the presence of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim has launched a global education platform that gathers annually during the World Government Summit, with the aim of supporting education worldwide, and support children education among many other objectives.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai was also present at the launch event.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim, noted that education is the "key" to a country's economic prosperity, a fact which requires that governments adapt to the needs of increasingly tech-savvy young people. "Education is the fuel that runs the engine," he said. "The world is changing rapidly and for education to continue to fuel prosperity, systems must adapt."

Dubai, he noted, is the "perfect place to discuss the nexus of business, governments and education".

"It offers a powerful example of how countries can channel markets and learning into prosperity for their people," he said.

Helping young people, Kim remarked, begins at a very early age.

"We must invest heavily in the early years. Early childhood experiences have a profound and lasting impact," he said. "Today, millions of young children are not receiving what they need to reach their full potential."

"The fact that 25 percent of all children in the world are stunted is a global crisis," he added, noting that a failure to provide access to education is a "recipe for poverty, inequality and eventually instability."

Additionally, Kim noted that education systems must do more to prepare young people for the realities of life in a multicultural world, and for their eventual roles in the work force.

"What we teach, and what children learn, should reflect diversity of cultures and provide relevant skills," he said. "Education systems must provide relevant skills."

"We must dramatically increase our aspirations for both the quantity and quality of skills. If we fail, we'll leave behind a large population who, at no fault of their own, will struggle to find a decent job," he said. "Providing our youth with the right skill set...will enable people to create their own jobs."