Madrasa e-learning platform reaches 2 million users

By DG Staff

Photo by Helloquence on Unsplash

DUBAI 15 October 2019: Madrasa e-learning platform has attracted over two million registered users and garnered over 45 million views since its launch last October.

On its first year, the platform’s daily “1000X1000” competition recorded a whopping participation of over four million users.

As part of Madrasa for 1,000 villages, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives,MBRGI, team is preparing to provide the offline high-tech educational content to students in Senegal, with further plans to expand the outreach of the platform’s 5,000 free Arabised videos in science and math to 25 countries without internet access by the end of this year.

Madrasa e-learning platform was earlier introduced in Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan in May, in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent, through four innovative offline solutions ranging from Madrasa tablet, WiFi hotspot device, Madrasa flash memory,USB, and Madrasa Smart Bag.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched Madrasa (www.madrasa.org) last October, providing 5,000 free Arabised videos in general science, math, biology, chemistry and physics to students from kindergarten to grade 12. The platform will soon offer Arabic language lessons to 50 million Arab students.

Saeed Al Eter, Assistant Secretary General of MBRGI, said, “Madrasa e-learning platform reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum that every child has the right to education. Having access to free educational content is every child’s right.”

He added, “There has been a need to develop and enrich the Arabic educational content and make it accessible to the largest segment of students in the Arab world.” Al Eter noted that under the umbrella of MBRGI, Madrasa launched to address the need of harnessing modern technologies to provide modern Arabic educational content, particularly in science and math, to the biggest number of students and teachers in the Arab world.

Dr. Waleed Al Ali, director of Madrasa platform at MBRGI, said, “The aim is to establish Madrasa as a reference that supports all Arab students, while empowering teachers through material that complements the school curricula and develop a decentralized educational system. The platform also aims to encourage students to pursue science-based studies, preparing the next generation of Arab researchers, scientists, mathematicians and innovators.”

Al Ali added that 15,000 videos are watched daily on average with 6,000 new subscribers every day, indicating the high demand on the platform in the Arab world.

Besides new Arabic language lessons, Al Ali noted plans to expand the platform with new Arabized videos in computer science, engineering, programming, Artificial Intelligence and space science lessons.

With the start of the new academic year, Madrasa e-learning platform has adopted the “gamification in education” approach to enrich online content and motivate students to learn.

Under the slogan “Learn & Play,” Madrasa provided new innovative ways to learn, while creating a healthy competitive spirit and building interactive skills through combining fun with education.

Through their interaction on the website’s content, subscribers can compete to earn points to score the highest points for a chance to win badges and top the “Madrasa stars” list.

Meitha Omar, Development and Innovation Executive at Madrasa, said, “Gamification today is considered the latest method of education that adds an engaging dimension to the learning process, encouraging students to learn and compete. This entertaining experience defies the misconception that often associates learning with boredom.”

The platform allows users to participate in daily contests including 1000×1000 competition that has so far announced over 300 winners in its first year. Students get the chance to compete with other users in different scientific contests and puzzles to be named among “Madrasa Stars.”

The platform is available through iOS and Android operating systems.

Madrasa e-learning platform is the outcome of the Translation Challenge that called on researchers, and professionals in the Arab World to translate, design and produce 5,000 videos and 11 million words of educational content into Arabic. The platform uses simple technology to provide free video classes in science and math available online and via an app.