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Indian schools in Dubai show little improvement

Most Indian schools in Dubai must put in more efforts to improve educational standards according to a report by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

School inspectors noted significant shortcomings in schools that followed the Indian curriculum. Limited progress in kindergarten classes, poor school leadership and lack of provision for special needs students were a few concerns cited in the latest school inspection report for Indian and Pakistani school.

More than 60,000 students are enrolled in 23 Indian schools in Dubai and only two of these schools are rated ‘outstanding’. Overall progress in schools continues to remain poor, as the report noted ‘no significant improvement’.

“The lack of overall improvement is not confined to one year. There has, in fact, been minimal change in the overall performance of Indian schools over the last two years of inspection,” read the report.

While most Indian schools remain busy for admissions to kindergarten classes, the report raised concerns over teaching standards in the KG sections. “The quality of teaching in Kindergarten was found to be the weakest of all phases in most schools,” according to the report.

Another concern cited in the report was the large classroom size in KG sections. School inspectors reported seeing ‘cramped learning conditions’ in a few schools.

“It is not uncommon, in Indian curriculum schools, for example, to find classes of more than 25 children in Kindergarten and more than 30 in the other elementary classes. A few schools have Kindergarten classes well over 30 students with 35 students in classes. These schools are failing to comply with licensing requirements,” added the KHDA report.

The report identified Dubai Modern High School and Indian High School as the only ‘outstanding’ Indian curriculum schools in Dubai. Seven other schools were rated as ‘good’ and 12 as offering ‘acceptable’ quality of education. Two schools were rated as unsatisfactory.

Three Pakistani schools were also evaluated by the inspectors at Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) as part of the inspection cycle. Only one school, Pakistan Education Academy, was rated ‘acceptable’. -muaz@khaleejtimes.com