SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - UAE Interact

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232 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 8• A robust early childhood education strategy.• Quality school infrastructure and curricula.• Accessible pathways to university and technical learning.• Ongoing opportunities for adult education to enable retrainingand access to new skills.Model Schools ProgrammeAbu Dhabi has already embarked on a range of initiatives toachieve its aims. For instance, the model schools pilot programmeseeks to test increased per student expenditure and thereforeinvestment in 23 schools throughout the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.The programme is predicated on matching per student expenditurewith international best practice. Ten schools in Abu Dhabi, ninein Al Ain and four in the Western Region are participating.As part of the recentreforms, new teachersin Abu Dhabigovernment schoolswill be required toattend a universitylevelteacher trainingcourse, as well asholding a Bachelor’sdegree and having anacceptable level ofproficiency in theEnglish language.Public-private PartnershipsConsistent with government restructuring that seeks to decrease itsrole as a service provider in favour of a strengthened private sector,ADEC has commenced a ‘Public-Private Partnership for PublicSchool Management’ pilot project (PPP), with four internationalprivate school providers now operating 30 schools in the emirate.The three-year pilot project is being assessed for student, teacher,and school performance improvements.The success of the pilot will inform future policy decisions onthe expanded participation of private providers in the delivery ofpublic schooling on behalf of the government. It will also assessthe value of various initiatives under trial in individual schools.Early indications of improved educational outcomes meant thatthe pilot programme was expanded to another 30 schools fromSeptember 2007. Whereas the first 30 pilot schools cover gradesK to five, the second wave of PPP schools will cater for gradessix to nine.New Curriculum DevelopmentFollowing a formal review of the schools curriculum, newcurriculum standards have been adopted by ADEC. Already thesestandards have been rolled out into PPP and model schools for
S O C I A L D E V E L O P M E N T233grades K to five. From September 2007 the new standards arebeing applied to grades six to nine in all PPP and model schools.An additional component of the new school curriculum is agreater focus on health and physical education, an immediatepreventive health priority in Abu Dhabi and the <strong>UAE</strong>.Teacher ProfessionalismRecent reforms require new teachers to hold a Bachelor’s degreeand have an acceptable standard of proficiency in the Englishlanguage. In addition, existing teachers are required to attend skillsdevelopment and training during regular school holidays. A newinitiative is a university-level teacher training certification course,which will be compulsory for all new teachers in Abu Dhabigovernment schools. In addition, a new dedicated teacher-traininginstitute has been developed in conjunction with Singapore’sNational Institute of Education. Commencing in September 2007the Emirates College for Educational Development will provideprofessional development programmes and associated teachingqualifications. Within the 2007/08 academic year the Collegewill also provide teacher certification programmes and associatedqualifications. The Abu Dhabi government’s partner in the creationof the Emirates College of Educational Development is Singapore’sNational Institute of Education.School GovernanceADEC has conducted a review of the management structure ofindividual schools. As a result, a pilot programme has beendeveloped that will see smaller schools merged to create fivelarger K to 12 grade institutions. The aim of the pilot scheme isto review how consolidation through mergers can deliver bettergovernance and therefore better outcomes for students.School PlanningADEC is completing a demographic study to assist in decisionmakingon the future needs for new or upgraded school facilities.Greater coordination will also be required with the Department ofMunicipal Affairs and private property developers in order to@www.uaeinteract.com/uaeeducationAbu Dhabi studentsshould have access tothe best availabletechnological tools andteachers should be fullytrained in theappropriate use oftechnology in alearning environment.
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