Dubai schools to have shorter notice period before inspections

Private school visits will be overhauled to improve teaching standards

Dubai, 28th November 2010.  The Lead Inspector from Dubai School Inspection Bureau was at hand to observe the ongoing Advanced Placement Biology laboratory exercises of the grade 12 students, held at the Al Mizhar American Academy for Girls.  (Jeffrey E Biteng / The National)
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Private schools will have the notice period ahead of inspections cut by three-quarters under new changes announced by the emirate's regulator.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority on Sunday said the overhaul of the inspections would help improve the quality of education.

Under the changes, the Dubai School Inspection Bureau will reduce the notice period given to schools from three weeks to five working days.

KHDA said schools rated ‘Outstanding’ or ‘Very Good’ in the previous inspection cycle will receive review-visits to ensure they are still providing high-quality education.

Schools inspectors will also assess how well a school is fostering and cultivating the talents and skills of Emirati pupils.

Inspections will have a renewed focus on social studies, the national agenda, inclusion, moral education, innovation and reading across the curriculum.

More than 185 school leaders and principals were informed of the changes at a principal gathering hosted by the KHDA.

“After 11 years of inspections, our schools have a deeper understanding of self-evaluation and inspection processes and are able to engage with the inspection process with a shorter notification period," Fatma Belrehif, chief executive of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau said on Sunday.

"We have listened to useful feedback from parents, pupils, teachers, principals and school operators about our school inspections and made some changes to the way we inspect schools. Our inspectors will be spending more time in schools that need more development."

Pre-inspection visits will still be carried out at new schools until their third year of operation, when they become eligible for full-inspections.

KHDA said it would reduce the environmental impact of its inspection work by introducing a paperless platform. Schools will be expected to employ sustainable methods of showcasing their strengths, ensuring a move away from paper-documents during the inspection process.

“We trust that all schools will join us in our effort to make inspections more sustainable.  Inspectors will access electronic copies of all documents uploaded by the school on to the DSIB platform and cut-down on the use of paper documents during inspections” said Ms Belrehif.

The changes will be effective from the start of the 12th inspection cycle next month.