Abu Dhabi, Apr 26th, 2012 (WAM)--Over 13,500 15-year-old students from across the UAE will participate in the 5th cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 Main Study during the period of 22nd April to 27th May 2012.

PISA is an international study conducted by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) every three years since 2000. It aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by assessing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students in reading literacy, mathematical literacy, scientific literacy and problem solving. The assessments focus on skills that students need in daily life and eventually for entering the workforce. Since the year 2000 over 70 countries and regions have participated in PISA.

The OECD with the cooperation with PISA team in the UAE, has randomly selected the participating schools and students. Students participating in PISA were all born between 1st January 1996 and 31st December 1996. The size of the PISA student sample was also decided by a team of experts after studying the demographic data of the UAE schools and education system. In the UAE, government schools and private schools using the Ministry of Education or ADEC curriculum for Mathematics and Science will undertake the Arabic language versions of the PISA assessments. Private schools that teach predominantly using English language will undertake the English language versions of the PISA assessments.

"Students at the age of 15 are the target for this study all over the world as this is the year in which compulsory education ends in most of the world countries. When we refer to students as eligible 15-year-olds, it only means that students must fit the PISA criteria, which for this cycle - states that students must be in Grade 7 and above, and born in the year 1996," explained Shaikha Al Zaabi, PISA National Project Manager Abu Dhabi and Senior International Assessment Specialist, International Assessment / P-12 at ADEC.

The UAE is amongst more than 60 other countries taking part in the 5th cycle of PISA, providing invaluable data on achievement, while benchmarking the performance of students with the other participating countries.

In addition to undertaking the PISA 2012 assessments, students will complete a questionnaire about their background, attitude and approaches to learning.

Out of the 35 sampled students from each sampled school, 18 students will be randomly selected to participate in a 40 minute Computer-Based Assessment of Learning (CBAL), which measures skills in reading, mathematics and problem solving.

In order to familiarise schools with the programme, the PISA project team at ADEC are convening a four separate training sessions regarding the administration and implementation of the PISA assessment. 115 private and public schools across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as well as four Institutes of Applied Technology, have nominated an IT coordinator, a school coordinator (SC) and a test administrator (TA) to participate in the training sessions.

"ADEC hopes all schools will help encourage their students to do their best on the PISA assessment and is committed to ensuring a smooth delivery of the assessment with minimal disruption of school time," said Al Zaabi, who further clarified "our experience indicates that the success of the program depends largely on conveying the seriousness of the PISA programme to students, motivating them to do their best, and developing in them an attitude to engage with the Assessment." Last year, ADEC implemented the PISA 2012 Field Trial Study phase and this year will conduct the Main Survey phase. This is the first time that the Abu Dhabi Emirate has participated in PISA as an adjudicated region. As an adjudicated region ADEC will receive a complete report from the OECD about Abu Dhabi Schools in addition to the UAE National report.

Two training sessions for English language medium private schools that are participating in PISA, have already been conducted by the ADECs International Assessment Section.

Another two upcoming training sessions are due to take place for public schools and Arabic language medium private schools. Each school has nominated three attendees for the training, namely a PISA SC, a TA and an IT Coordinator.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2012.