Sunday, Sep 03, 2017

Abu Dhabi

All public and private schools following Ministry of Education curriculum will be unified under a new education system, it was announced on Sunday.

The plan will unify the country’s education sector and standardise schooling of all students pursuing the ministry curriculum.

Under the plan, Abu Dhabi’s education sector regulator, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), will merge with the Ministry of Education. All public and private schools offering the ministry curriculum will adopt Emirati School Model to offer high standards of education aligned with the country’s future objectives.

The move follows the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Achieving this goal has been closely monitored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, who considers it “essential to achieve supportive and well-informed education system capable of keeping up with future changes and developments.”

He underlined the need for a unified education system capable of realising national goals.

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed stressed that development and modernisation of the education system should be undertaken using inclusive strategic plans that ensure the achievement of far-reaching learning outcomes.

A source at the ministry told Gulf News that the unification will seamlessly merge the two authorities.

“All public schools across the country, as well as private schools offering the ministry curriculum, will then be overseen and managed under the ministry. Whereas private schools in the UAE offering international curricula will be regulated by the ministry’s quality assurance and inspection division,” the source said. The arrangement will provide a degree of independence to private schools offering other curricula, he added.

There are around 1,300 public and private schools across the UAE. In Abu Dhabi emirate alone, there are more than 250 public schools, and a number of 186 private schools in Abu Dhabi also offer the MoE curriculum.

By Samihah Zaman Staff Reporter

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