Dubai school inspections begin

The Dubai School Inspection Bureau has begun its 10th cycle of inspections in Dubai.

A total of 166 private schools will be inspected by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority this year, including seven schools that will face inspections for the first time.

DSIB CEO Fatma Belrehif said: "Inspections are an important tool that allow schools to improve the quality of education they offer. After nine years of inspections in Dubai, we have seen an increase in the number of students attending schools that are judged to be good or better. The adoption of UAE School Inspection Framework has allowed us to unify our efforts towards achieving UAE National Agenda goals."

School inspections this year will focus on UAE National Agenda parameters, social studies, innovation, Emirati students, moral education, and special education needs.

The UAE introduced a mandatory moral education programme in 2017/18. The programme is built around four pillars: character and morality; the individual and the community; cultural studies; and civic studies.

The inspection of moral education will focus on the curriculum, teaching practices, and assessment and reporting to parents.

Inspections this year will also place special emphasis on the inclusion of students with special education needs and disabilities.

All schools must now appoint an 'inclusion champion', nominate a 'governor for inclusive education' and form an 'inclusive education action team'. Schools are also expected to appoint dedicated staff as 'learning support assistants' and produce a 'strategic inclusive education improvement plan'.

Also an area of focus during the 2017/18 cycle is the achievement of the UAE 2021 vision for innovation. Inspection teams will evaluate each school's work in five key performance indicators: learning skills, social responsibility and enterprise, teaching, curriculum, adaptation, and leadership.