ABU DHABI // Three task forces are to create the first formal policy agenda for education in the emirate, one that will guide schools, universities and vocational training for the next decade. Among initial proposals are allowing university students to transfer credits between institutions, integrating special needs children into mainstream schools and opening specialist schools. The task forces include local and international experts and were set up by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), which manages schools and universities. Each task force includes between eight and 10 people, half of them UAE or GCC nationals, with input from Dr Mugheer al Khaili, Adec's director general.
Their goals include introducing the best aspects of overseas international education systems, while making allowance for local cultural practices. The needs of pupils are at the centre of the task force's recommendations, said Ken Thompson, an adviser to Dr Khaili. "What we really need is strong governance, we need strong teachers, we need strong leaders in the school? we need a strong curriculum," he said.
Once the groups' proposals are complete, Adec will use them to create an overarching guide for the education system. A summary of that document will be made available to the public. Mr Thompson said: "Abu Dhabi has stated that it expects and wants this emirate to have an outstanding education system, which prepares students not only to be good citizens but also to be competitive worldwide, competitive getting into university and competitive accepting positions anywhere in the world. That's a big change."
According to statistics compiled by the World Bank for its Knowledge Economy Index, which measures the ability of countries to generate and adopt knowledge, the UAE ranks 77th out of 132 countries in education despite having a Dh7 billion (US$1.9bn) education budget. The UAE offers 900 hours of instructional time in schools, far behind those farther up the list that have more than 1,100 hours. The Ministry of Education and Adec are working on what will be the first licensing system for teachers.
Most teachers in Abu Dhabi's public school system do not have teaching degrees, something teachers in many of the world's higher-rated systems are required to have. Another proposal includes opening specialist secondary schools, where pupils can begin to focus on a subject area such as technology or performing arts. It has been acknowledged that the country's public schools are failing to prepare pupils for university, with federal institutions having to spend about a third of their budget on foundation programmes to bring young people up to the standard required for them to start their main degree or diploma courses.
Priorities include easing the transition between the various stages of the education system and promoting flexibility within each level. When it comes to higher education, Adec wants students to have the flexibility to change their courses or even universities, and be able to take the course credits they have already earned with them. "That means that we can establish a system that allows students to make decisions and change their minds," Mr Thompson said.
It is also important that students have a range of options, and are prepared for them, as they complete each stage of their education. "There are an awful lot of community colleges in this world, whose graduates can't get into the local universities because they haven't gotten together questions, like: are credits transferable from one university to another?" he said. "Those are the kinds of issues we can resolve before they create a problem for students."
As for special needs pupils, it is hoped both public and private schools can address current shortages by offering space in their classrooms. klewis@thenational.ae dbardsley@thenational.ae
