100,000 students to take part in wellbeing survey

More than 100,000 Dubai students are expected to participate in the third edition of a wellbeing census that aims to measure the quality of their life, happiness, relationship with friends and teachers and physical health.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) made the announcement on Sunday and said that 20,000 school staff are also expected to take part in the survey.
Last year's results showed that 81 per cent of Dubai's school students are 'happy' overall. However, the adults' results showed that 43 per cent of staff in schools were 'not feeling bad, but just getting by or just functioning'. Launched in 2017, the census is a five-year project and was implemented to find out how students feel and think about their own wellbeing, happiness, quality of life and engagement.
Dr Abdulla Al Karam, chairman of the board of directors and director-general of the KHDA, said: "Wellbeing is an investment in the future and having good wellbeing today means we have a great future tomorrow. As students go through life, exam results will be less important, but wellbeing will become more and more important."
He said that students spend 17 per cent of their time at school and wellbeing "was not only the school's responsibility". "Parents have to work together with schools, and schools have to work together with parents. These conversations help us improve each other's wellbeing," he added.
Hind Al Mualla, chief of creativity, happiness and wellbeing at the KHDA, said they are already starting to see "a positive shift" in the conversations that schools are having with their parent and student community. "There is a much broader awareness and both educators and parents are now taking a closer look at the wellbeing of children. Some schools have even created wellbeing teams that actively lead and support initiatives aimed at having a positive impact on the school climate," Al Mualla said.
School staff, including teachers and support staff, are also covered as part of a separate Adults@School wellbeing census. The adult's survey help school teachers and staff understand more about their own wellbeing and learn new ways to take responsibility for it.
Open to teachers and staff working in Dubai's private schools, each participant will receive a personalised report of their wellbeing, including suggestions on ways to improve it.
This year's census started this Sunday and will run until December 5. More information about the census is available online at www.khda.gov.ae/en/dswc.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com