The Dubai School of Government (DSG), a research and teaching institution focusing on public policy in the Arab world, today announced it is organizing a series of forums on education policies.
The forums are designed to bring together key players in the education sector to deliberate on topics of concern to the general public and the education community. The sessions aim to generate new ideas and raise awareness of the concerns of people involved in education in the UAE, regardless of nationality, age or gender. The series is held in partnership with The National newspaper.
The first of the forums, entitled "Regulating Private Schooling in the UAE," was held on January 18 at the DSG premises. The second forum, themed "The Great Arabic Debate," will be held on February 1, while series closes on February 7 with "Teachers and Teaching in the UAE’." The forthcoming events will host leading academics, educators, journalists, principals, teachers and parents from various organizations, including regulatory bodies and universities.
Moderated by Natasha Ridge, Research Fellow at DSG, a panel discussion during the opening forum included experts such as Dr. Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director-General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dr. Fatma Abdulla, Nonresident Research Fellow at DSG and Managing Director of Global Consulting Associates, Samia Al Farra, Chief Education Officer of Taaleem, and Robin Campbell, Principal of The Sheffield Private School.
Dr. Fatma Abdulla said: "It is important for social institutions such as schools to be externally regulated. As the launch pad for the creation of knowledge-based economies, they are the primary platforms for the development of future generations. Schools should always strive to promote education through the highest levels of certification along with basic skills in language, math, and science through the application of broad-based teaching methods. These processes should also engage parents in order to monitor the progress of their kids and demonstrate the value of their investment in education."
The forum explored a gamut of reforms, scenarios, options and policies that impact the private education system in the country. The topics included the way schools are regulated in the UAE, impact of school inspections in Dubai, perceptions of private sector operators on school inspections and views of parents and teachers about these policies.
In his speech, Dr. Abdulla Al Karam reiterated the importance of regulation for monitoring all segments of schooling. He also said any gap must be fixed at an early stage in order to avoid a cascading effect at the higher education level, and pointed out that decisions regarding teacher’s certification, fees and by-laws must be taken at the federal level.
In her speech, Samia Al Farra spoke about the diversity of the UAE population, highlighting the necessity of equal education opportunities. Stating that that such an objective could only be achieved through the provision of transparent regulation where systems bring order, consistency and quality, she added that all regulations must empower teachers and students to excel.
Robin Campbell stressed the need to regulate private schools without interfering in their operations. He stated that everybody needs to clearly understand what the regulations are and how they can be applied consistently and used as a guide for the schools.
The February 1 forum will focus on the methodology of teaching the Arabic language in schools, problems in teaching Arabic as a first/second language, teacher training, new methods of Arabic instruction in the Arab world, and the Ministry of Education’s plans for Arabic curriculum development. "The Great Arabic Debate" will be held in Arabic.
The third forum, "Teachers and Teaching in the UAE," will explore the challenges to building a quality teaching workforce, the level of teacher satisfaction with the education and training they receive, and how teacher training is transforming education in the UAE.
Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is committed to the creation of knowledge and the dissemination of global best practices in the Arab world. The institution conducts various programs that seek to enhance the region’s capacity for effective public policies. |