Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 14, 2008 – The first ever international assessment in Dubai’s schools has given a clear picture of how mathematics and science is taught and understood.
The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was carried out in 2007 in both Government and private schools in Dubai by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). It goes hand-in-hand with school inspections, which are already underway, and PISA assessments of 15-year-olds next year.
The results will be analysed and used by both the Ministry of Education and the KHDA. KHDA will share the information with the Ministry to collaborate in future planning for Government schools. In the private sector, the Dubai Schools Inspections Bureau will use TIMSS data to inform their policies.
TIMSS operates on a four-year cycle and measures achievements in maths and science in Years 4 and 8 (10-year-olds and 14-year-olds). It does not give a world ranking, nor does it rank individual schools or teachers. However, it does give the KHDA hard, data-based evidence upon which the Authority can move forward with its policies.
In Dubai, 96 primary schools and 88 secondary schools, around 3,000 Year 4 students and a little more than 3,200 Year 8 students, took part. This provided a sample of Dubai’s schools which completely reflects the more-than 13 curricula and many nationalities that make up the education system here. The other unusual factor in Dubai’s education system is that approximately 85 per cent of students here attend private schools.
Some highlights of the results are: *
· In Year 8 maths, Dubai, an Emirate, scored 461 points, significantly higher than all of the participants in the region
· In Year 4 maths, Dubai’s score of 444 was near the international average of 500. Dubai, an Emirate, was the highest-performing participant in the region
· In Year 4 science, Dubai scored 460, and outperformed 10 other participants
· In Year 8 science, Dubai scored 489, similar to Scotland and Italy, and above Armenia, Norway, Ukraine and Jordan
· At Year 4, students in private schools scored about 40 points higher in maths than students in public schools. At Year 8, the differences widen: Students in private schools scored 100 points higher than those in public schools
· At Year 4, students in public schools studying the National Curriculum performed better than students on the National Curriculum in private schools. Private school National Curriculum students performed at a lower level than students studying any other curriculum.
· Students following the UK curriculum in Year 8 were the highest achievers in both maths and science
Dubai’s participation in TIMSS is also in line with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 in the area of Government excellence. The DSP identifies transparency, accountability and a result-based culture, excellence in customer service, development of human resources, and working effectively within a Federal framework as the guiding principles of its ambition for excellence.
Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General at KHDA, said: “You cannot improve your education system overnight. Neither can we wait 12 years to improve our system, since that is the school life of a child and their education is too important to us.
“These TIMSS results give us a starting point, a base line, so that we can analyse what our strengths are, and where there is a need for improvement. Taking part in TIMSS shows how committed this Authority is to hard data and evidence-based facts. But what should we do with this data?
“As well as our own analysis, we want to share this information with the public so that everyone is working with us as we go forward with our job of developing the human potential needed for Dubai’s continuing success. This will involve short, medium and long-term plans.
“We need all of our human resources to collaborate on improving education, so that our system can be seen to be assessed by international standards. Also, we have promised transparency in our business of guiding Dubai’s schools towards the aims of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015.
“On our way towards achieving the DSP 2015, we need to be elastic; TIMSS allows us to stop and see where we are, and how we need to take the next step toward improvement.
“Although Dubai’s results have placed us first in the Arab world, we do not intend to compare ourselves with countries in the region, we just wanted to know where we stand. We would like to thank Qatar for their help in giving us information about TIMSS and supporting our participation in the process.
“The Government of Dubai focuses on accountability and incentivisation, and these are both elements within TIMSS. Our participation confirms the commitment of the Government of Dubai to found an education system of international standing.”
HE Fatma Al Marri, CEO of Dubai Schools Agency, added: “Now we can move on, taking our teachers with us. We have all had to confront the disruption and anxiety that assessments can bring. But what we are so thrilled about is that it has been worth it.
“We know that good education is all about good teachers, and we can now analyse and develop data which will help us in supporting our teachers. For example, perhaps teachers spend too much time on certain subjects and not enough on others. We have real evidence now and we can use it to make adjustments if they are necessary.”
This view is supported by TIMSS Directors Michael O Martin and Ina V S Mullis of Boston College, who said: “One of the great strengths of TIMSS is the ability to monitor progress in educational improvement over time. Such trend information is crucial in helping policy makers understand the impact of decisions about investment in education, curricular reform, and initiatives to improve instruction.”
KHDA has hosted a Teaching Day at Zayed University with TIMSS experts speaking to teachers about the implications of the results, and offering state-of-the-art teaching methods in maths and science. Another such day is scheduled for January.
A day to mark Dubai’s TIMSS participation is also planned in January. Four children and one teacher from each school that took part in TIMSS will have fun at Children’s City in Creek Park. A competition on the KHDA website giving everyone the chance to test their skills with TIMSS questions will run from December 21 until January 18.
TIMSS is part of a process which KHDA is driving to evaluate the quality of education available in Dubai. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) admitted Dubai on behalf of the UAE to its membership in October this year. In addition, KHDA has launched:
· The Dubai School Inspections Bureau (DSIB), whose inspectors have already begun to publish their reports. By the end of the current academic year (2008/9), every school in Dubai will have been inspected.
· DSIB is backed up with the School Support Unit (SSU), whose supervisors respond to any needs revealed by an inspection. The SSU works with principals and teachers to draw up a plan of action where improvements are needed and supports them throughout its implementation.
· The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) measures how well 15-year-olds are equipped for life after school. Dubai held field trials in May this year, and next May all schools will be assessed.