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CIE curriculum for starters will ‘help hone kids' skills’

DUBAI — University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) has recently developed a new Cambridge International Primary curriculum for students starting from age five, giving schools a framework to develop Mathematics, English and Science skills and knowledge in young children. Earlier, CIE qualifications catered to students from 14 to 18 years only.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ann Puntis, CIE's Acting Chief Executive who was on a visit to Dubai to inspect the new upcoming GEMS schools and to get a feel of the progress made by schools offering CIE qualifications in the UAE, said, “the CIE Primary Programme will provide guidance in curriculum development and classroom teaching and learning, and allow teachers to assess children's learning as they progress.”

The Primary Programme was launched globally in March 2005. The Programme aids identification of a student's strengths and weaknesses and can be used to support learning and development. The Primary Programme progresses students seamlessly into middle years curricula, such as Cambridge Checkpoint and IGCSE, explained Puntis.

One of the world's leading providers of international qualifications and assessments including IGCSE, International O, A and AS Levels and Cambridge International Diplomas, UAE has around 70 private schools offering CIE qualifications.

Puntis, however pointed out that the CIE's primary curriculum is yet to be introduced at any UAE-based schools. “We are hopeful that most British schools will introduce the CIE curriculum right from the primary level.”

Clarifying parents concern on outsourcing of markers by the UK board offering CIE qualifications, Puntis assured parents and students that CIE had no such plans yet.

“We have no plans to outsource markers except in a particular curriculum when it involves a particular regional language where service of local experts is required. Besides, the marking is online and does not involve physical movement of examination papers out of the UK,” she pointed out.

All scripts from Dubai-based schools are marked traditionally, she reassured parents and students who were perturbed after a report published recently in the Daily Telegraph stated that AQA one of the three boards in charge of marking papers for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examinations this year had signed a contract to scan some 500,000 of the papers for History, French, German and Italian and have them e-mailed to a firm in India. This could affect the quality and standards of the British education system, parents had cautioned.