Dubai: How schools are rated Outstanding, Good, Acceptable or Weak

Dubai: How schools are rated Outstanding, Good, Acceptable or Weak

UAE - More than 70 per cent of schools in Dubai have been rated ‘Good’ or better in the latest inspection results released by education regulator Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). The authority said over three-quarters (77 per cent) of students in Dubai study in ‘Good’ or better schools.

Twenty schools were rated ‘Outstanding’, 39 ‘Very Good’; and 84 ‘Good’. About 55 schools were rated ‘Acceptable’, while only one was ‘Weak’.

How KHDA rates schools

In an exclusive interview, Fatma Belrehif, chief executive officer of Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau, told Khaleej Times that the authority uses the 2015/16 Unified School Inspection Framework, which sets the standards for each quality level. “A team of inspectors spends four days at a school, working closely with school leaders, teachers, students, and parents, gathering evidence to evaluate the quality of education being offered,” she said.

When asked how the KHDA helps schools rated 'Acceptable' and 'Weak' to improve their ratings, she said this is done in various ways. “During the inspection, the inspectors spend extensive time with school leaders and teachers, giving them feedback about their strengths and weakness and priorities for improvement.”

Getting an ‘Outstanding’ rating

Of the 199 schools that were assessed, 20 — a little over