01
PSQA Newsletter
August 2015
Issue
No.
Issue
No.
01 01
1
Newsletter
ADEC
Private Schools and Quality Assuarance
Inside
this issue
Private schools third
inspection cycle’s results
Pg. 1
Private Schools and
Policy Guidance Manual
Pg. 2
the 3rd investment
Forum Pg. 3
The villa schools closure
Pg. 4
Private schools
additional supply Pg. 5
Welcome to the first edition of Abu Dhabi
Education Council’s (ADEC’s) Private Schools and
Quality Assurance (PSQA) Sector’s newsletter,
which we aim to publish tri-annually in order
to keep you posted on some of the different
initiatives undertaken by PSQA.
Throughout the year, PSQA will send a brief
update on some of its latest news, events,
and achievements that are all worth sharing.
There are so many interesting experiences and
opportunities to learn more about, and we hope
that our newsletter serves that purpose through
its new and interactive approach.
Since its initiation, PSQA has been working
tediously to help support the private school sector
by liaising with schools on different professional
development activities, offering and publishing
evaluation reports, coming up with transparent
regulations and policies, while working hand-inhand with school operators to keep up with the
increasing demand for private school seats.
Our dedicated
team at PSQA and
myself, considers its
stakeholders major
partners in education,
which is reforming
by the day. For that
purpose, and in
efforts to provide best
learning and teaching
opportunities for our children, engagement and
strengthening our ties with one another is of
crucial importance.
We hope you enjoy reading this newsletter,
and look forward to hearing from you about
suggestions you may wish to offer us,
Eng. Hamad Al Dhaheri
Executive Director
Private Schools and Quality Assurance Sector
Event & activities Pg. 6
ADEC’s Private School Sector announces
it’s 3rd cycle inspection results
ADEC’sPrivate schools 3rd cycle inspection results for the 2013-2015 academic school
years, show that around 70% of schools have improved on their overall effectiveness
grade over the last three inspection cycles. The current inspection cycle results show
that 55% of private schools have at least satisfactory performance, of which 14% with a
total of 25 schools are Band A schools (i.e. high performing schools).
The inspection results show that the percentage of schools in Band C ( in need of
significant improvement) dropped from 72% in inspection cycle 1 to 45% in inspection
cycle 3, while the percentage of satisfactory schools increased from 17% from inspection
cycle 1 to 42% in inspection cycle 3.
Results show that there has been an evident improvement across all the eight
performance standards from inspection cycle 1 to inspection cycle 3.
Parents and members of the public may view the cycle 3 inspection reports for all
private schools on ADEC’s portal via the following link:
https://www.adec.ac.ae/en/education/keyinitiatives/pages/irtiqaa-reports.aspx
02
Private Schools and Quality Assuarance
Promotion and Business development - PSQA
ADEC releases the Private Schools and
Policy Guidance Manual
ADEC has announced the release of its Private Schools Policy and Guidance (PSPG)
Manual, which helps provide clarity and transparency to all of Abu Dhabi’s private schools
regulations and policies.
The PSPG Manual came into effect
September 2014, under administrative
decree #165. It consists of 81 policies in
22 chapters, elaborates on the existing
regulations for private schools in Abu
Dhabi, which was released in 2013, while
providing a legal basis for all aspects of
the private school sector, and defines the
rights and responsibilities of students,
teachers, school leaders and investors/
operators.
The release of the PSPG Manual is a major
milestone for ADEC, particularly for the
Private Schools and Quality Assurance
(PSQA) Sector, who have worked
conscientiously to align the policies
with national, regional and international
benchmarks and best practices.
In efforts to help private schools better
understand the PSPG Manual, private
school leaders have already received
extensive training on over 70% of the
regulations and policies through 46
workshops delivered by ADEC’s PSQA’s
Policy team from September 2013 to
March 2015. The third and final wave of
To download the PSPG Manual you may
access the following link:
http://www.adec.ac.ae/en/mediacenter/
pages/downloads.aspx
training workshops is expected to begin
during the next school year 2015/2016 with
a special focus on school governance and
continued professional development and
performance management.
At these workshops the rights and
responsibilities of all stakeholders were
clearly defined. School leaders were
trained on important subject areas such
as school transportation, health and
safety, child protection, teaching quality,
parental rights, special education needs
and tuition management. ADEC informed
all private school leaders that attendance
is “mandatory” for the welfare and safety
of students and the school community at
large.
The PSPG Manual, in conjunction with
the training workshops provides the
proper support for private schools to help
understand ADEC requirements, ultimately
elevating the quality of education across
well regulated schools.
Issue No. 01
03
The 3rd Abu Dhabi Private Education
Investment Forum strengthened the
Strategic partnerships with investors
The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has launched the 3rd Abu Dhabi Private
Education Investment Forum with the participation of more than 300 investors,
education operators, school owners and other stakeholders.
The forum took place at the Jumeirah Etihad Towers Hotel in the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi on May 4th 2015. The forum aimed to discuss and highlight new
market investment opportunities and encourage stakeholders to expand
and strengthen their partnerships with local and international investors
and operators in the private education sector.
This year’s Forum discussed two main topics through two panels, namely
“establishing successful private education businesses” and “Investing
private education in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: opportunities and
challenges.” In addition, a big part of the forum highlighted and discussed
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi investment market in the private education sector
and the major trends, opportunities and challenges that faces investors.
An interview was conducted with Mr. Mohammed Alhashemi who talked
about his responsibilities and experience at the Abu Dhabi Education
Council.
First of all, the reader would like to know about you:
I am Mohammed Alhashemi,a UAE National employee who was born in Al Ain city. I’m holding
a bachelor degree in Sociology and Public Administration from the United Arab Emirates
University.
How long have you worked in ADEC and tell us about your previous experiences:
I worked in the education field for about three decades, where I started my career as a Social
Worker in Al Ain schools, then worked as a Social Advisor, until I was assigned to work with the Private School and Quality
Assurance Sector since the foundation of Abu Dhabi Education Council as an Office Manager for private schools in Al Ain
Regional Office.
My job requires me to follow up on private school licensing, student affairs, teacher and administrator of related issued at
schools, dominate examinations tasks, and attesting certificates and equivalencies.
The aspirations of the employee’s future
I look forward to seeing the Private School and Quality Assurance Sector one of the leading sectors in ADEC through
developing the private education system and providing private schools with the required services and support.
04
Private Schools and Quality Assuarance
Promotion and Business development - PSQA
Closing six indian curriculum villa
schools to align with ADEC safety and
quality standards
ADEC has shut down the last six remaining indian curriculum villa schools, as part of ADEC’s
initiative to encourage private schools to operate in purpose-built school buildings.
PSQA has shut down a total number of 64 villa schools across
the Emirate of Abu Dhabi since the Project has started. As little
as eight villa schools are still in operation, but are due to close by
July 2015.
72
69
0
2015-2016
8
Current
14
2014-2015
25
2013-2014
37
2012-2013
43
2011-2012
2010-2011
54
2009-2010
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2008-2009
Operating Villa Schools
The closure of villa schools is part of an ongoing program in line
with Abu Dhabi Government’s plan to shut down all Abu Dhabi
villa schools to help encourage private schools to operate in
purpose built buildings which are consistent with quality and
safety standards on lands allocated for education purposes.
Issue No. 01
05
Increasing the number of school seats
in private schools
It is expected that nine new private schools will operate by 2015/2016. This will add around
17,000 school seats to the private schools market within different curricula’s (American,
English, IB and MOE).
Private schools cater for more than 62% of the total student
population in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; in which 24% of the
student population are Emirati students and the remaining 76%
are Expatriate students. It is expected that demand for school
seats on annual basis will increase by 5% until 2020.
PSQA achievements are highlighted by establishing 45 new
private schools offering different curricula’s throughout the past
four years to satisfy the growing market demand; these schools
have added around 58,000 School seats. Furthermore, the total
value of investment in private schools is about AED 2.3 billion.
In addition, 9 new private schools are expected to operate in the
2015/ 2016 academic year that will be offering different curricula’s
including 4 American Schools, 2 English schools, 2 MoE Schools
and 1 IB school. These schools will add around 17,000 seats in the
market in addition to 2,700 seats in existing schools that offer
Indian curriculum.
45 new schools were established and operated in the past 4 years
16
11
8
8
2
English
American
MOE
Indian
Others
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Private Schools and Quality Assuarance
Promotion and Business development - PSQA
Upcoming events
Event date (2015)*
Press Conference: Announcement of school inspection results (cycle 3)
June/ July
Press Conference: Closure of all villa schools in the Emirate
August
Private Schools’ Forum 2015- 2016
September
My Identity pilot program kick off
September
Irtiqa’a annual conference
October
Arabic subjects coordinators meeting
October
EMSA training
November
School Development planning workshops September, October & November
The 3rd and final wave of training workshops about the PSPG manual
October – December
Launch the new program of Arabic & Islamic Studies Training (Phase 1)
October – December *Event dates are tentative and might change
Geographic Information System (GIS)
Did you know that the GIS is a comprehensive and dynamic information system
that stores valuable statistics about all government and private schools in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The GIS can locate the position of each school, display
demographic information of the schools, redistribute school locations, identify
where students live, map the safest bus routes to schools and other useful information that can be used in policies and strategic planning. All ADEC employees
can use and benefit from the GIS through visiting the following link:
https://maps.adec.ac.ae/SilverlightViewer/Viewer.html?Viewer=ADECGIS