Award-winning principal calls upon parents to boost kids' reading habits

After winning the Best Principal Award at the Adek Awards 2025, Lee Dabagia of Summit International School in Abu Dhabi, actively called for parental involvement in reading and AI responsibility among students.

- Nandini Sircar

An overwhelmed Dabagia, who is a seasoned educator from Indiana, USA, attributed his win to the unwavering dedication of his teaching team.

Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the event, Dabagia said: "My advice to parents is limit their screen time at home, make sure there is a library of something to read at home. We surveyed our parents and realised there's not enough reading material in their houses... give them a book."

Dabagia, who moved to the UAE 12 years ago and brings over 30 years of experience in education and administration, expressed deep concern about the impact of Al and social media on student learning.

He noted that the examination season is increasingly complex due to students’ ability to access Al tools even within “lockout browsers.”

“We are trying to teach our students respect, responsible use of Al... I’m hoping that as we use that model, use it for something more productive, our students will kind of dovetail with that and understand, that this is a tool that can make life easier, but it’s also a tool that I need to respect,” he said.