Schools across the emirate of Abu Dhabi showed an improvement of 34 per cent for the 2017/2018 academic year in comparison to the previous year in results announced by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK). In total, 104 private schools were visited and assessed by ADEK with over 12,000 lesson observations completed as part of their comprehensive inspection report. In addition, 13 monitoring visits were also carried out.

“According to this year’s inspection results, 61 per cent of Emirati students currently attend schools that provide good or better education — out of which 25 per cent attend very good and outstanding schools, four per cent attend weak schools, while 35 per cent attend acceptable schools,” the report said.

The report added that out of the 104 schools — 63 in Abu Dhabi, 39 in Al Ain, and two in Al Dhafra Region — four schools were rated outstanding, 12 schools very good, 27 schools good, 53 schools acceptable, and eight schools weak.

In terms of the quality of education per school curriculums, the report said: “Out of the 25 schools that follow the British curriculum, 56 per cent provide good or better quality of education and 44 per cent provide an acceptable quality. Whereas out of the 32 American curriculum schools, 53 per cent provide good or better quality, 41 per cent acceptable quality, and six per cent provide weak quality of education.

“When it comes to the 23 schools that follow the Ministry of Education curriculum, 13 per cent provide good quality, 78 per cent acceptable quality, and nine per cent provide weak quality. Thirty six per cent out of the 11 Indian curriculum schools, provide good quality, 55 per cent provide acceptable quality, while nine per cent provide weak quality,” the report stated.

The inspection results also showed that 42 per cent of student achievement, teaching and assessment are good or above, whereas 51 per cent have acceptable quality of teaching and assessment, and only seven per cent are weak. In addition, 49 per cent of schools have good leadership and management, whereas 43 per cent have acceptable leadership and 8 per cent have weak leadership.

“Quality of standards shows a more positive picture when it comes to other aspects of education that ADEK evaluates such as the students’ personal and social development as well as the protection, care, guidance, and support of students. Seventy-four per cent of schools were rated good or better on student’s personal and social development, while 78 per cent of them provide good or better quality when it comes to protecting, caring, and providing support and guidance for students,” the report said.

The next round of inspections by ADEK for the rest of Abu Dhabi’s private schools is expected to be completed by June 2019.