Oman Observer
Oman Oil Marketing Company in partnership with Nafath Renewable Energy have launched ‘Solar’, a joint initiative to build portable solar science labs to educate students across Oman on how sustainable solar energy is more resilient and also more cost effective to use.
Under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, over 500 students in schools within Muscat, North and South Al Batinah and South Al Sharqiyah Governorates will benefit from four of these state-of-the-art facilities encouraging them to explore solar technology and its potential use to build a better tomorrow for the Sultanate.
David Khalife, CEO at Oman Oil Marketing Company said, “We are always striving to launch environmentally friendly initiatives in line with the Sultanate’s drive to support clean energy. We work to keep our customers and communities at the heart of everything we do. We realise the importance of solar education to empower future generations with the knowledge they need to lead environmentally conscious lives.”
The ‘Solar’ initiative will be managed by the Ministry of Education including student workshops highlighting solar kit systems, as well as theoretical and practical classes in which students learn how to read meters, learn how solar structures work, and eventually build their own solar panel systems. Part of Oman Oil Marketing Company’s commitment to sustainable practices and its dedication to support Oman’s long-term renewable energy strategies, the initiative will help to further cultivate a culture of renewable energy and eco-friendly practices in the minds of students.
Abdullah al Saidi, CEO of Nafath said, “As a local renewable energy company, we are committed to a green, clean and eco-friendly future. We understand that the way in which we make the largest impact is through educating the younger generation. The initiative has so many positive aspects, but most importantly, we want to get students involved from an academic standpoint to learn how solar energy works, while having units to experiment with and be able to deploy their knowledge in real-life applications.”
As part of the collaboration, local renewables start-up Nafath will construct the labs and supply the curriculum.
Nafath will also provide training to the Ministry of Education’s employees in charge of the programme regarding curriculum, workshops, and learning tools available within the labs ensuring effective delivery to schools.