Dubai – December 7, 2024: Dubai private schools continue to shine in international assessments, results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2023 results reveal.
Conducted every four years by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), TIMSS assesses the academic performance of students in Grade 4 and Grade 8 globally, offering valuable insights into the strengths and areas for growth in education systems worldwide.
In Science, Grade 4 students ranked fifth globally for science, scoring 571 compared to the global average of 494, and Grade 8 students ranked fourth, scoring 563 points versus the global average of 478.
In Mathematics, students in Grade 4 ranked seventh globally with a mean score of 564 compared to the global average of 503, and while students in Grade 8 ranked sixth, scoring 561 points compared to the global average of 478.
Dubai private schools surpassed the UAE National Agenda 2021 goal of ranking in the top 15 globally in both the TIMSS 2019 and 2023 cycles. These outcomes also highlight Dubai’s commitment to the Dubai Social Agenda and its goal of placing Dubai in the world’s top 10 cities for education.
Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA said: “This year’s TIMSS results highlight the commitment of Dubai’s private schools to providing world class education in line with our wise leaderships’ vision of investing in the future through education. The results also support the E33 vision, which aims to develop future-ready students who are not only proficient in core subjects like mathematics and science, but also equipped with the critical thinking and environmental awareness skills needed to navigate tomorrow’s challenges.”
“These exceptional results reflect our ongoing commitment to ensuring that our education system is already meeting, and in many cases exceeding, the goals outlined in E33. Dubai’s students are not just excelling academically; they are also embracing the values of sustainability and innovation that define the future and support the goals of Dubai Plan 2033 and its social and economic agendas.”
Students in Indian curriculum schools performed the best, scoring highest across both subjects and grade levels, followed by students in IB schools and UK curriculum schools.
Emirati students in Dubai’s private schools also made significant strides in both mathematics and science, achieving scores above the global average, marking a notable improvement from 2019.
Fatma Belrehif, CEO of Education Quality Assurance at KHDA said: “The TIMSS results underscore the quality and dedication of Dubai’s private schools in delivering world-class education. The consistent improvement in student performance reflects our shared commitment to raising standards and fostering an environment where every child can achieve their potential. This success is a testament to the hard work of our educators, the support of families, and the determination of our students to excel on the global stage.”
For the first time, TIMSS 2023 included a dedicated framework to assess students' environmental attitudes and behaviours as part of its context questionnaires, with students from Dubai’s private schools ranking third globally for their awareness of environmental issues. This underscores the growing emphasis on sustainability and environmental education within Dubai’s education system.
Ninety-seven percent of Grade 4 students and 91% of Grade 8 students in Dubai private schools said they value environmental preservation.
Students and parents were also surveyed on various aspects of their educational experience as part of the study.
Ninety percent of Grade 4 students and 84% of Grade 8 students in Dubai private schools reported they feel a sense of belonging to their schools, compared to the IEA average of 87% and 79% respectively.
In 2023, 9,500 Grade 4 students from 185 private schools, and 8,500 Grade 8 students from 159 private schools in Dubai participated in the global assessment. A total of 72 education systems globally participated in the latest round of the study.
For more details on the performance of Dubai’s private schools in the latest TIMSS study, visit the KHDA website.