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28 March 2024

New eco-friendly school to open in Ajman next year

Students of International Indian School Ajman. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By VM Sathish

A new green school is being planned in Ajman for the next academic year, where students will cultivate medicinal plants, trees, fruits and vegetables on a 50,000 square feet farm and profits from the sale of the same will go towards charity supporting poor school students in other countries.

Habitat Private School, planned to be launched in Ajman from April 2014 at a cost of Dh50 million promises to offer a different learning experience for expatriate children, who are often confined to the four walls of their flats.

“Organic fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes that will be grown in the school campus will be sold to parents,” said Shaikh Sultan Bin Saqer Al Nuaimi (Advisor to the Under Secretary of UAE Economic Department and Chairman of Habitat School.

Currently the International Indian School Ajman produces many fruits and vegetables through organic farming and the products from the school farms are sold to parents.

Habitat School will also be managed by the same team that currently manages the International Indian School Ajman.

The school will be built on a 10-acre plot. School authorities expect to provide an eco-friendly community life not only for students, but also for the parents.

Habitat School will also offer day boarding facilities and will initially enrol students up to Grade 8. It will accommodate 6,000 students, once all the grades are operational in phases. The school also promises transportation for students from places in Dubai such as Rashidiya, Qusais, Muhaisnah as well as Al Nahda in Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain.

Habitat School will be affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi, India.

There will be modern facilities such as synthetic track and an  indoor play area. The school will offer second language options in Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bangla, catering to the expatriate population.

“An organic farm is of great importance - we plan to cultivate medicinal trees and plants in the open space as well as in specially designed greenhouse in the campus with student participation. About 50,000 square feet land will be devoted for organic farming,” said Abdul Majeed, Principal, International Indian School Ajman.

“There is an organic farming club in our school and two students from each class participate in farming. We have been growing tomato, green chilli, papaya, tapioca and drum stick,” he added.

“One area will be devoted to green house and there will also be normal cultivation. The fund from its sale will be donated to School Chalo scheme – a charity drive to help poor students in India. One school kit for a student will cost Dh 25 and we have sponsored 127 school kits,” Majeed added.

Vijayan Chella, an Indian farmer in Al Ain, will guide the school in organic farming. “The director of Al Khaly Farm in Al Ain grows a number of trees, fruits and vegetables in his huge farm in Al Ain. He has been guiding us in our green projects,” he added.
 
The school will have state-of-the-art infrastructure and a host of extra-curricular activities, as well. Shamsu Zaman CT will be the Managing Director; CT Adil, Academic Director; and Mujeebur Rahman, the Manager of the new school.