Frontline heroes
Frontline heroes include those working on the frontline in healthcare facilities, as well as in the prevention and protection. Frontline Heroes Office was established to recognise and support the UAE’s frontline workers in the long term by looking after their needs and addressing their priorities through initiatives such as the Higher Education Scholarship Programme.
Frontline Heroes Office
The late H. H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the then President of the UAE issued Federal Decree No. 95 of 2020 establishing the Frontline Heroes Office. The new entity will be chaired by H. H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and will recognise and support the UAE’s frontline workers in the long term.
The Frontline Heroes Office aims at:
- raising awareness of the key role played by the frontline workers during crises and emergencies
- recognising their efforts and acknowledging their sacrifices
- looking after their needs and addressing their priorities.
Frontline heroes include those working on the frontline in healthcare facilities, as well as in the prevention and protection. It includes healthcare facility staff such as:
- doctors
- nurses
- allied healthcare professionals (laboratory technicians, respiratory therapists, radiographers)
- housekeeping, cleaning, waste disposal
- other staff (porters, security, catering, administrative, pharmacists).
It also includes staff in the prevention and protection such as:
- crisis management on the frontline
- security and emergency services on the frontline
- humanitarian entities on the frontline
- sterilisation on the frontline.
- defining the frontline workers and establishing the criteria used to identify them
- preparing and implementing strategies and initiatives to support them, in collaboration with relevant authorities
- instructing relevant entities to build a database of the frontline workers by establishing an online registry interlinking the relevant federal, local or private bodies
- running events, granting rewards, presenting appreciation certificates, and nominating any of the frontline workers to receive honorary medals.
‘Hayyakum’- Free scholarships for children of frontline heroes
Under the ‘Hayyakum’ initiative, children of frontline healthcare professionals will receive scholarships to attend public schools in the UAE. Scholarship will be provided from the academic year 2020-21 until graduation from high school. It covers the cost of tuition, laptop and transportation.
‘Hayyakum’ aims to provide the children of frontline healthcare professionals high-quality education while alleviating the financial stress faced by their parents and encouraging them to stay for a longer term in the UAE.
This initiative is part of a wider collaborative framework between Ministry of Education and the Frontline Heroes Office to ensure sustainable funding for the scholarship and also launch and implement other education-focused initiatives to benefit children of frontline healthcare professionals.
Read related news coverage on WAM.
Under the direction of Mohamed bin Zayed and overseen by Abdullah bin Zayed, the @MOEducationUAE, in partnership with the Frontline Heroes Office, launches the ‘Hayyakum’ initiative. pic.twitter.com/efcvqLSGax
— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@admediaoffice) September 16, 2020
Higher Education Scholarship Programme for frontline heroes and their children
The Higher Education Scholarship Programme will fund education for eligible frontline heroes and their children at government and private universities and colleges across the UAE. Scholarships will be awarded the academic year 2021-2022.
How to apply?
You can submit your scholarship request to Frontline Heroes Office by sending an email. Attach your request with supporting documents and the acceptance letter from the university or college. Frontline Heroes Office will gather eligible scholarship requests and send to the relevant university or college directly.
The programme was announced by Frontline Heroes Office. It will be supported by Sandooq Al Watan, a social initiative by a group of Emirati businessmen, the private sector and Ministry of Education. It aims to fulfil the goals of higher education of frontline workers and their children and reduce their financial burden during the pandemic of COVID-19.
Read related news coverage on WAM.
