Dubai: The Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) is due to start its inspection process across all public and private schools in Dubai on Monday.
Sixty nine out of more than 200 schools will be inspected during the first phase of inspections between October and December 2008, which aims to ensure all schools are inspected within the 2008-2009 academic year.
DSIB, a bureau of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), has consulted various stakeholders and conducted pilot inspections in several schools in the last academic year to test the framework of inspection and quality indicators that will be used during the actual inspection process.
"We welcome this initiative to set an inspection bureau to ensure schools provide high standards of education. In my own experience, in UK, we such inspections have been conducted since 1992. This initiative is an assurance for students and parents to the quality offered in schools. We are always ready for evaluation and inspection as we already set our self-evaluation and review in our schools," said Martin Clark, Principal and CEO of Jumeirah College.
Evidence
The Bureau will distribute and analyse 20,000 parent questionnaires and 1,500 teacher questionnaires as part of the evidence gathering during the first block of inspections.
"I hope the report will be as transparent as stated by KHDA since this inspection is much needed to our schools specifically examining the qualification of teachers in private schools and facilities provided as well as safety," said Mariam Saed, a parent of three children studying in a private school.
The inspection teams will use a range of evidence to review the work of each school including observing classes, setting interviews with students and staff. They will also look into the examination results, as well as the inspectors will consider other self evaluation evidence provided by the school.
"Accurate and rigorous self-evaluation is an essential feature of an effective school. Where schools can demonstrate they accurately know their own strengths and weaknesses and have the capacity to improve, the need for immediate re-inspection or subsequent focused support, will be reduced. To support schools, the bureau will offer workshops on self-evaluation based on international best practices. The Schools Agency will offer training on self evaluation for all public schools," said Jameela Al Muhairi, Chief of DSIB.
A full inspection report will be shared with each school six weeks after the inspection. A summary report will be made available on www.khda.gov.ae.
Parameters: Issues to be addressed
The full report will be based on the evidence on the quality indicators below.
Inspectors will find answers in each school to a number of essential questions, which are based on the outcomes of research into effective schooling across the world:
How good is the students' academic progress in key subjects?
How good is the students' personal and social development?
How good are the teaching and learning?
How well does the curriculum meet the educational needs of students?
How well does the school protect and support its students?
How good are the leadership and management of the school?
How well does the school perform overall: how well does it fulfil its promise to parents?
Are you satisfied with the standard of education in schools in the UAE? What are the areas that need immediate improvement? What major changes do you find in the education system today?
Students hit by traffic jams as schools open after Eid holidays in UAE
By Siham Al Najami, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Schools and universities reopened on Sunday, following weeklong Eid holidays.
It was a struggle for many students and teachers in Dubai and Sharjah to reach their institutions due to traffic jams.
"It took me more than two hours to get to my school in Dubai on Sunday from Sharjah. Getting up for school was difficult since I am still used to Ramadan timings and weeklong holiday," said Khalifa Ali, a pupil in a private school.
"Apart from the morning traffic, I enjoy going to school especially taking part in extracurricular activities, which we didn’t have during the fasting month of Ramadan," said Leena Mahmoud, a pupil.
By Siham Al Najami, Staff Reporter