Innovation to drive overhaul of public school education

Dubai - The plan aims to revise the curriculum, enhance students' skills, introduce new subjects and streams, further enrich learning and enhance the evaluation systems both for schools and students. The announcement came during a visit Shaikh Mohammed made on Monday to the Ministry of Education.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has given approval to the comprehensive plan to overhaul the public education in the UAE, to be launched by the Ministry of Education this year.
The plan aims to revise the curriculum, enhance students' skills, introduce new subjects and streams, further enrich learning and enhance the evaluation systems both for schools and students. The announcement came during a visit Shaikh Mohammed made on Monday to the Ministry of Education.
Upon arrival, he was received by Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education; Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs and Future; Jameela bint Salem Al Muhairi, Minister of State for Public Education; and Dr Ahmad bin Abdulla Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education.
The new curriculum will cover technology, innovative design, health sciences, career guidance, general skills and business management. A special 'Elite' stream designed to nurture gifted students will be introduced. In addition, a new system to evaluate students through mid-year and end-of-year exams will be implemented. Continuous assessment across the academic year will support the year-end exams.
The new plan
As part of the new plan, the curriculum will be gradually made bilingual and have a specific focus on deepening the students' national identity and building their critical thinking and innovation skills as well as developing teamwork and problem solving capabilities.
With the support of 19 specialised local and international bodies, the plan seeks to develop a new integrated kindergarten curriculum, a new policy for evaluation of kindergarten schools that involves parents, and an integrated reading programme for students of all grades. International partnerships will also be established to develop new mathematics and science textbooks.
Syllabuses for subjects such as history, geography, economy and social studies will be integrated into one core curriculum. The mathematics curriculum will be developed to ensure it is on par with international standards. A new course on information technology and programming will be introduced both in primary and secondary schools. The English syllabus will follow the Cambridge English curriculum.
Progress to be monitored
Shaikh Mohammed directed teachers and parents to work together in implementing the school education development plan. He said that the progress of all plans to boost the education sector is being monitored by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, together with him and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
He said that schools are where the future begins and called on everybody to fulfil their responsibilities towards the new generation.  "We are counting on the teachers and the Ministry of Education to help school education make a great leap forward," Shaikh Mohammed said, stressing that developing education is a vital task that requires focus and perseverance.
"There is no room for excuses," he said. "We look forward to developing a new generation of students equipped to use the tools of the future."