ABU DHABI // Educators have welcomed a level playing field for schools that comes with the country’s unified inspection standards, to begin this month.
“That there is a unified scale is a relief,” said Judith Finnemore, an education consultant for Focal Point Management.
“Parents will be able to compare more easily, provided there is openness and transparency by schools as to the grade they are given.”
The Ministry of Education recently released the UAE School Inspection Framework 2015-2016, a 130-page document outlining new, standardised metrics by which schools will be rated.
Bassam Abushakra, regional director for Esol Education, which operates four schools across the UAE, welcomed the move, but hoped there would be “an overlap in inspectors, so that some of the same people inspect schools in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi”.
This would “allow our schools to be on the same page when working together and learning from each other”.
Previously, private schools in Abu Dhabi were inspected about once every two years and rated on an eight-point scale that graded each school from “poor” to “outstanding”.
In Dubai, private schools were visited annually and judged to be either unsatisfactory, acceptable, good or outstanding.
With the new system, private schools will be rated very weak, weak, acceptable, good, very good or outstanding.
Six performance standards will be judged by inspectors: pupils’ achievement; personal and social development and innovation skills; teaching and assessment; curriculum; protection, care, guidance and support of pupils; and leadership and management.
“The new unified framework certainly provides schools in Abu Dhabi much clearer guidelines on how to reach a judgment,” said Sarah Thomas, education manager for private school operator Taaleem.
“Many descriptions of the criteria for ‘outstanding’ are quantifiable and clearly communicated. This will bring a more objective and standardised approach to the self-evaluation and inspection process, as they are less open to interpretation.”
The new framework calls for schools to place a greater emphasis on promoting a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, inclusive education and national culture.
Private schools will also be required to teach lessons based on the Ministry of Education curriculum for social studies, according to the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau’s School Inspection Supplement, distributed to schools to explain the unified framework.
Michael Lambert, headmaster of Dubai College, hoped that Abu Dhabi’s two-year cycle of inspections would become the norm in Dubai.
“If we are to be unified in our inspections, I think that inspecting all schools every two years as in Abu Dhabi is an obvious change to make in order to truly unify inspection and create a level playing field,” Mr Lambert said.
It was not totally clear how often schools will be inspected but some educators suggested schools that perform well should be granted special dispensations.
“Consideration should be given to those schools that have already achieved or are seeking international accreditation,” said Clive Pierrepont, director of communications for Taaleem.
“A longer inspection cycle for schools rated good, very good or outstanding would allow the inspection teams to concentrate on those identified as needing the most help.”
The system also underscored the need for schools to work harder towards meeting the goals outlined in the National Agenda.
They included making the UAE one of the 20 highest-performing countries in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa), and the top 15 countries for Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (Timss).
The agenda also aims for a 90 per cent high-school graduation rate for Emiratis and ensure that 90 per cent of Grade 9 pupils develop competency in the Arabic language.
Lyn Soppelsa, director of consultancy services for whichschooladvisor.com, a website that independently reviews UAE schools, said unified inspection would allow parents to make better informed decisions.
“What we do know is that parents and schools generally welcome the inspection process and parents use the reports to learn about their own children’s school’s strengths and areas for improvement, as well as for research into alternative schools,” Ms Soppelsa said.
“We believe that with the growth in school options for parents as new schools open and others expand, an objective, unified inspection process will support family decision-making.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
Match info
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Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
Company%20Profile
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Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
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Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
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Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
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Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
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Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
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Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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May 15 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at
least 17 staff members
May 20 2020: PM and Carrie attend 'bring your own booze'
party
Nov 27 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary
Gavin Williamson
Dec 13 2020: PM and Carrie throw a flat party
Dec 14 2020: London mayor candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative
Party headquarters
Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Kanguva
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Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
From Zero
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Director: Amith Krishnan
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now