Abu Dhabi schools to operate under Adec

The education sector in Abu Dhabi is undergoing a major transformation. All private and public schools in the emirate will soon be operating under the umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) in association with the Ministry of Education (MoE), a top official said in the capital yesterday. In addition to creating at least a thousand new jobs in the sector for female Emirati graduates, the new structure will ensure that all schools are regularly inspected for quality by the Adec, said Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, director general at the council. "Standardised international tests will be used to compare children's learning with that of their peers abroad, and the Adec will continue to ensure that quality is maintained and teachers licenced at all the schools in the emirate, including institutions in Al Ain and Al Gharbia (Western region)," Dr Al Khaili said. He was speaking at the Bedaya Forum, which was organised by the Adec to welcome the new academic year. The New School Model (NSM) introduced by the council in 2005 will be implemented till grade 12 across all public schools by the 2014-2015 academic year, Dr Al Khaili said. Currently, the model covers classes till grade 4. By 2018, all schools are to be operated privately, while being monitored by Adec-affiliated centres that regulate curricula and accreditations and provide career counselling and parent council services. As part of the NSM, all public schools are also currently moving towards an electronic learning approach, which combines Net-based resources with books and other traditional media, he added. "Children will therefore be able to benefit from an unlimited pool of resources, and each child will be able to learn at his own pace. The Internet will also become a major learning tool across all institutions," he said.