No Indian school slipped in ratings in the latest government inspections in Dubai, which saw the highest ever percentage of students attending ‘good’ or higher rated Indian schools.
Out of a total of 35 Indian-curriculum schools, 31 were inspected by Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) in the latest inspection cycle.
Of the inspected schools, one school (GEMS Modern Academy) was rated ‘outstanding’, 15 rated ‘good’, five rated ‘very good’, nine ‘acceptable’ and one (Gulf Model School) rated ‘weak’.
Highest percentage
The results, released by Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), show that 73 per cent of students are attending Indian schools rated ‘good’ or higher — the highest percentage ever. In the previous inspection cycle, the figure stood at 69 per cent.
It means there are now 21 Indian schools rated ‘good’ or higher, compared to 18 last year. Some 2,400 students attend such Indian schools in Dubai now, out of a total of around 95,000 students in all Indian schools. Students in Indian schools make up around one-third of the total student count in all private schools in Dubai.
No slips
While no school slipped in ratings, three improved this year — two from ‘acceptable to good’ and one from ‘weak to acceptable’. All other schools kept the same ratings from last year.
Schools of other curriculums are inspected in a separate cycle as their academic year starts in September rather than April for Indian schools.
The latest data shows improvements in teaching, leadership, and student outcomes in science, maths and English have helped raise overall ratings for Indian schools.
However, most Indian schools need to also increase progress in teaching Arabic as a second language, according to the KHDA report.
‘Fair inspections’
Michael Guzder, Vice President — Education, GEMS Education, who oversees three Indian schools in Dubai, described the inspections as “fair and happy”. He said the schools showed “marked improvements”.
“The emphasis of the inspections was once again on teaching and learning consistency across the grades. Inspectors continue to emphasise on Arabic and special educational needs education. GEMS has invested in this and we are working to do even better,” he added.
Deepika Thapar Singh, CEO — Principal, Credence High School, Al Khail, which has again been rated ‘good’, said: “As usual, the inspection was well-organised and positive and left us enriched. The inspection team appreciated the teaching practices, learning environment and the safety and support provided to the students, including students of determination. In fact, inspections for us are getting easier as the DSIB inspection framework is well defined and once understood it is all about implementation. At Credence, inclusive education and students’ well-being have always been the focus and we will continue to work to ensure that children are happy, healthy and enjoy their learning journey.”
Improving quality
Fatima Bel Rehif, CEO of DISB, said: “We can clearly see an improvement in the quality of education on offer in the Indian-curriculum schools and this will further improve student outcomes and achievements in the years to come. The continued progress by Indian curriculum schools reflects the keenness of school leaders to implement inspection findings and improve quality of education in Dubai.”
School inspections were introduced in Dubai in 2008 with an aim to provide a comprehensive view of the quality of education and contribute significantly to their improvement.
Bel Rehif said: “We have now completed a decade of school inspections in Dubai and more students than ever now attend schools rated ‘good’ or better.”
SOURCE : GULFNEWS