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Providing the right platform to school children

Abu Dhabi schools are helping develop the citizens that our future society will need

As we enter into another academic year with parents and students busy buying new textbooks, school bags, stationery and other classroom accessories, schools in Abu Dhabi have geared up to refurbish their existing infrastructure, induct additional school buses and assign more supervisors to ensure a smooth start to the new session.
As an emirate, Abu Dhabi has created world-class educational infrastructure. Be it the pre-nursery or primary, middle and high schools, the sheer numbers and quality of educational establishments in the UAE capital has managed to stay top-notch.
The emirate starts new admissions - K-12 - based on individual capacity and requirements of each school. While some local schools are restricted to Arabic speakers, there are plenty of private and public schools that follow different curriculums for expatriate students. With its large network of private schools, there are as many as 165,000 students attending schools on a fee-paying basis in Abu Dhabi. Notably more than 60 per cent of them attend public schools.
A majority of schools in the capital have very well-endowed science labs for practical sessions in subjects like Math, Physics, Chemistry, Home Science and Biology. Students are encouraged to use their analytical and creative skills through research and experimentation in middle and secondary schools.
That is not all. The UAE authorities are keen to see that education at the school level remains at the heart of the country's development agenda. Indeed quality educational institutions are thriving in the UAE with Abu Dhabi bracing for a strategic plan that entails special emphasis on qualitative development in this sector.
The emirate has previously unveiled a 10-year plan to promote education opportunities. The plan, called Education First, covers the period between 2009 and 2018, has a big budget and aims at raising the standards of education, and reaching its benefits to all, both Emiratis and expatriates.
New school models introduced six years ago puts a huge emphasis on bilingualism - for both teachers and students. As subjects like Maths and Science get more prominence, authorities are leaving no stone unturned to encourage students to take up modern learning skills, participation and active learning. A recent survey concluded that children from Grades 1 to 5 (in Abu Dhabi) have markedly improved their English skills. Efforts are also on to have more Emirati children - along with expatriate kids - in Abu Dhabi's private schools.
Not surprisingly, schools in the capital have taken a cue. Apart from imparting quality education (covering the most diverse set of syllabuses), the schools are actively helping to implement a slew of key initiatives and measures like the use of technology in day-to-day schooling to plan the future of education.
An ambitious library upgrade project implemented in the capital in recent years has vastly transformed traditional school libraries into 21^st century learning resource centres. Apart from comfortable furnishings, flat-screen TVs, data projectors, scanners, photocopiers, printers and Internet access, these libraries stock modern Arabic and English books, magazine subscriptions and multimedia resources among other facilities. Over the years most private schools in the emirate have been upgraded to global standards. Facilities such as international volleyball courts, mini soccer fields, basketball courts, swimming pools, handball courts, indoor badminton courts, table tennis courts, play area for KG students and zones for older kids are part of every school worth its name.
It is not infrastructure alone that shines in Abu Dhabi schools. Students enrolled in these schools benefit from higher test scores, improved teacher-student ratio and a creative environment in which they thrive and succeed.  
Abu Dhabi follows a broad based four-tier system for school education
Kindergarten
for 4 to 5 year olds
Primary
for 6 to 12 year olds
Preparatory
for 12 to 15 year olds
Secondary
for 15 to 18 year olds
sadiq@khaleejtimes.com