Dubai schools go under the microscope to drive reform.Education reform in Dubai has broken new ground in the United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates, federation of sheikhdoms (2005 est. pop. 2,563,000), c.30,000 sq mi (77,700 sq km), SE Arabia, on the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. and the region with a strategy built on incentives and public accountability. School inspections, a first in an Arab country, are entering their second year and international assessments are providing the first clear picture of how Dubai's schools are performing.Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Director General of Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), was yesterday taking part in a panel discussion at the 4th Cambridge Assessment Conference at Robinson College, Cambridge, along with Fatma Al Marri, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Dubai Schools Agency. They, with Jameela Al Muhairi, Chief of the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau, have also co-authored a paper (see attached) outlining Dubai's experience with education reform. By publishing the results of inspections and linking fee hikes to school performance, Dubai has begun building a reform roadmap based on transparency. Dr. Al Karam said: "We value the evidence-based results of our school inspections and assessments. This evidence helps us to know where we stand, and the journey we need to make to improve the quality of education for the children of Dubai."The paper, The Role of International Assessments and School Inspections in the Reform of Education in Dubai Education in Dubai encompasses the many levels of primary, secondary and collegiate education catering to various ethnic and linguistic groups. The school system in Dubai does not differ from the school system in the United Arab Emirates. , illustrated some of the unique challenges facing regulators, including a high proportion of students in private schools (85%) and the 13 curricula on offer for Dubai's mainly expatriate student population. KHDA has used international assessments to gain an objective understanding of Dubai's education environment. A TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is an international assessment of the mathematics and science knowledge of fourth- and eighth-grade students around the world. ) assessment was carried out in 2007 and the results were made public, in line with KHDA's commitment to transparency. KHDA also participated recently in PISA Pisa (pē`sä), city (1991 pop. 98,928), capital of Pisa prov., Tuscany, N central Italy, on the Arno River. It is now c.6 mi (9.7 km) from the Tyrrhenian Sea, which once reached the city. 2009 (Programme for International Student Assessment
The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a triennial world-wide test of 15-year-old schoolchildren's scholastic performance, the implementation of which is coordinated by the ), and for the first time will participate in PIRLS 2011 (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study PIRLS is the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. The objective of the PIRLS is to study the trends in reading achievement in fourth graders from 35 different countries. ). 2009 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com) 2009 Al Bawaba (Albawaba.com) Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |
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