Dubai: Education standards in over two dozen schools have deteriorated over the last year, when the Knowledge and Human development Authority (KHDA) introduced a rigorous inspection regime to monitor schools' quality in Dubai.
The results of inspections for 2009-2010 academic year covering 78 public schools and 131 private schools published yesterday show a total of 25 schools — eight of which are public and 17 private — falling one level from their rankings last year.
View the KHDA rating given to each school here
The 20-page report published on the KHDA website on Monday also have 133 schools not showing enough progress to move up the rankings despite the recommendations made by the DSIB (Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau) after their first round of inspections in October 2008.
According to this year's report, there are three Outstanding public schools, 30 Good, 37 Acceptable and eight Unsatisfactory schools. In the private sector, two are outstanding, 43 Good, 69 Acceptable and 17 Unsatisfactory.
Al Manhal Kindergarten School, Al Nokhbah Model School and Childhood Development centre Kindergarten are the three outstanding public schools and GEMS Wellington International School and Kings Dubai School are the two private schools of the category.
It is the non-compliance with requirements on Arabic language and Islamic education that has cost many private schools their rankings. Schools pointed out dearth of teachers and lack of resources as the key factors defeating their good intentions to turn around their schools. "How can you blame me if I am not able to get qualified teachers? Getting good teachers is a problem in Dubai," said Irena Maria Duff, Principal of Dubai Infants School. The kindergarten school has been downgraded from Acceptable to Unsatisfactory this year.
Positive change
Asha Alexander, Principal of Apple International School in Al Qusais that has also been downgraded as Unsatisfactory, said KHDA inspectors were not happy despite the progress the school has made.
Despite the figures that show only 28 schools improving their rankings from last year, KHDA said the inspection report for 2009-2010 heralds a positive change in the education landscape of Dubai.
"Progress need not necessarily mean change in rankings. Schools have worked very hard to improve in many aspects and that has created a momentum towards excellence that will benefit our students," said Dr Abdullah Al Karam, chairman of the Board of Directors and director general at the KHDA. However, he emphasised, KHDA will keep the pressure on schools that continually fail to improve.
Jameela Al Muhairi, DSIB chief, said many schools have shown progress though that was not enough to go up the rating category. She added that it is a positive sign that seven private schools judged as Unsatisfactory have improved their ratings to Acceptable.
Schools that have received positive ratings this year said they are elated as it is a recognition for the efforts put in by their teachers and students.
"We are delighted to have retained our Outstanding rating for this year too. We are blessed to have good Arabic teachers but many schools face an issue with getting good teachers. I hope KHDA will look into the matter and offer the needed support to schools," said Debrah Watson, Principal of Kings Dubai School. The British curriculum primary school is one of the most expensive private schools with the annual tuition fee ranging from Dh30,000 to 38,000.
Khawla Mohammad Al Abdouli, the principal of the Al Nokhba Model School, the only public primary school that received an Outstanding rating, said she and her staff took seriously the process of inspection as soon as it was introduced.
— With additional inputs from Abbas Al Lawati
Are you satisfied with the results? How do you rate the school your children go to? What improvements would you like to see?
