SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact

230 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8standards, as well as enhancing the managerial independency ofschools and promoting student-centred education processes.This is to be implemented in tandem with developing thegovernance framework for this sector in cooperation with localeducation councils.Some of the initiatives that will realise these policy objectivesare the development of school curricula and student assessmentprogrammes; improvements in the technical infrastructure ofall schools; the institution of continuing education programmesfor school principals, teachers and other school staff; theestablishment of a system of teacher licensing and re-licensing;adoption of an academic accreditation system for public andprivate schools; and implementation of plans for developing schoolbuildings and equipment in line with international standards.One of the many concrete ways in which the new policy isbeing implemented by the Ministry of Education (MoE) is therecent adoption of the new secondary-level school curriculumbased on continuous assessment. The new system is designedto boost students' self confidence and prepare them adequately toattend higher education institutes. The MoE has also issuedregulations unifying vacation dates in public and private schools,commencing in the 2007/2008 academic year.Educational reform isintended to facilitateAbu Dhabi’s evolutionas an education hubfor the Emirates andthe region.REFORMS IN ABU DHABIEducational reform is a central component of the Abu DhabiExecutive Council Policy Agenda 2007/2008, its primary goal beingthe creation of a comprehensive system of education that appliesworld-class standards and expertise in line with the federal strategy.In Abu Dhabi, the reform effort begins with administrativerestructuring so that government has a reduced role in the directprovision of educational services and a strengthened privatesector delivers educational services on behalf of government.The focus of government, therefore, becomes that of regulator andsupervisor of an education system with newly created standardsmatching best educational practice. At the same time, theparticipation of Emirati nationals in education administration and