Students can finish GSSC in 15 years

DUBAI - In an unprecedented move, the Ministry of Education and Youth has granted approval to the Dubai-based Islamic Education School complete its core curriculum at the elementary stage in seven years instead of nine. The Dubai Islamic School will implement the new system in the next academic year (2003-2004).

By Focus On Education

Published: Sat 6 Sep 2003, 11:57 AM

Last updated: Wed 1 Apr 2015, 11:46 PM

Dr. Ali Abdul Aziz Al Sharhan, Minister of Education and Youth, gave approval to implement the new system as the management of the school had been trying for the approval of its system for the last 15 years.

The management of the school said the approval coincided with the policy of Ministry of Education and its vision 2020 for education which aims to develop education. The approved system will enhance educators' kills, which will enable them to deal with the technology of future. As a result, the Islamic School students will be able to achieve their General Secondary School Certificates (GSSC) at the age of 15 whereas those in government schools can get them at the age of 17.

The measure will be effective from the next academic year, starting with the first grade and running over four years. Students in the first four grades will be provided one and half years' syllabi each year. Accordingly the six-year elementary stages will be taught over four years only. A student in grade five in the Islamic Education School will be at a par with students of grade seven in government schools.

Dr Al Sharhan said the school would apply the new system for four years on an experimental basis. He said when the ministry approved the system, it did not mean that government and other private schools would also adopt the system because each school had its own educational system.

He added that the endorsement was based on a report prepared by a special technical committee formed by the minister. The report included the applied curricula, the mechanism of the school as well as the system of the complete day in addition to the extended year which the school adopted it.

Khaleej Times interviewed the founder of the Islamic Education School, Haj Saeed bin Ahmed Al Lootah.

Khaleej Times asked Haj Saeed bin Ahmed about the motives, which led him to adopt the new system and whether the graduates of this school will be able to communicate and deal with difficulties in life.

Haj Saeed said this idea did not come at random. There was an educational teamwork and this teamwork had a very old experience in the educational field. Later, Mohammed Shukri Al Fayoumi led this teamwork. He was educational inspector and believed in the idea.

"He adopted the idea and accompanied me in this long journey to execute what we believed is right," Haj Saeed said.

He added, "In our religion a human being should be able to take his responsibilities at the age of 15. Therefore, we tried to apply the Holy Quran principles to bring up our students and prepare them to confront life".

Haj Saeed said the new system was aimed at achieving a developed society. The Islamic Education School has adopted curricula based on the Islamic religious instructions, which are suitable for everyone and for all time.

He confirmed that the students of the Islamic School would graduate at the age of 15. This age is the age of productivity and creativity and it is the age at which Allah has obliged human beings to take their responsibilities in life. The Islamic School will be a pioneering experiment in the educational field, which will follow in the steps of the earlier Muslims. Haj Saeed expressed pride in the graduates of the Islamic School. He showed some construction designs made by some of the graduates of the school.

In reply to a question about the strategy, which the Islamic School applied to attract the students, he said the problem arose because of the long period of the regular education. The students of government schools finish their GSSC at the age of 17 and after that they have to complete four years in university which means that the student will start his practical life at the age of 23 or 24. At this age, graduates will not be able to use or recall the storehouse of their knowledge or join work easily.

Therefore, the school cut short the education period to enable students to graduate at the age of 15. The school deals with its students as adults to inculcate dignity in them from the first day of their joining the school. The school takes students' suggestions into consideration. The school arouses their interest in reading and speaking, and inculcating in them moral values is given priority.

He said the Islamic School applied the government curricula in addition to some special curricula, which would be minimal in the first stage and would increase in the higher stages. The school teaches students in first stage (primary) the Holy Quran, Tajweed and reciting it in addition to some activities. In the higher stage, students study computer, journalism, ornament making, carpentry and electronics.