Abu Dhabi Week sits down with HE Dr Mugheer Al-Khaili, director general of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), for an update on the education reform programme in Abu Dhabi
As the director general of ADEC, what are your job responsibilities?
Our forward-thinking leaders who have identified education as a fundamental pillar of our nation’s economic and social development have established Abu Dhabi Education Council. I was selected to become ADEC’s director general in 2008 by the Executive Council, with the aim of developing education and educational institutions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, implement innovative educational policies, plans and programmes that aim to improve education, and support educational institutions and staff to achieve the objectives of national development in accordance with the highest international standards.
The Abu Dhabi 2030 vision moves Abu Dhabi from being an economy that’s dependent on oil to being a knowledge-based economy. Thus ADEC is helping to create entrepreneurs and jobs for our youth in an effort to start producing more goods and services here in the UAE. We will make this happen through educating our youth.
The first international licensed teachers (LTs) employed by ADEC arrived in August 2009. How many came at that point?
Around 550 LTs arrived then – actually we had some before but in very limited numbers. It was a challenge in terms of finding the right recruitment agencies, hosting interviews, finding hotel accommodation, finding permanent residence and hosting the orientation programme. All of these things were new for ADEC and of course our organisation was so small then, but our employees tried to do their best.
The LTs’ arrival was a challenge for students because they had to speak only English in the classroom but it was fruitful because they are fast learners. I was shocked at how quickly the students improved, in particular the young students.
Today, we have 1,975 LTs working in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
What countries do the LTs come from and what are the challenges of hiring these international teachers?
Our teachers are from English-speaking countries: America, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other countries such as South Africa and Finland. I believe that one of the main challenges is adapting to a new culture.
These teachers showed respect for the culture and understood the challenges that they were faced with, including dealing with a language barrier.
It was a challenge for ADEC to find accommodation in remote areas. A lot of those areas lack any form of entertainment but many of our teachers love it there and I would like to thank all these teachers who are really serving those areas where life is so simple.
What are the successes of the reform so far?
We have short-term and long-term strategies. Long term, we want to start from kindergarten and improve every grade level, up to grade 12. To do this we need to examine every single aspect of education including teachers, facilities, principals and curriculum.
Short term, in 2009 only three to four percent of our students got into federal universities without doing a foundation English course.
To help them, we increased the school day by two periods and increased their exposure to English, maths and Arabic. Now, 20 percent of our students have entered universities without doing a foundation course.
ADEC has renovated and introduced sustainable school buildings and replaced many ageing school buildings with new ones.
How is technology used in schools?
We are focusing on student-centred learning. Today, young people have lots of different gadgets: Playstations, iPods, iPads, mobiles phones and hundreds of television stations. So we cannot encourage students to learn using a blackboard and chalk anymore. We need to move ahead and use technology in the classroom to make learning more interesting. Social media enrichment is the new trend that we want to implement in education.
We are investing about AED 350 million for IT infrastructure in schools. Every single one of our 268 public schools will be connected to high-speed Internet this year. We are implementing a lot of new software including ESIS (Electronic student information system), ERP - a resources management system, iclass and iADEC. iclass is a pilot project, whereby the children learn by using iPads and it’s currently trialling in six schools. iADEC can be used by the community at large via the iPad or iPhone, it has a GPS links to schools, videos, news, education policy and school leadership handbook – it really has everything!
What does ADEC have planned for the future?
To focus on Cycle Three curriculum reform and to prepare for younger generations who will be coming into schools in the future.
To learn from the iclass pilot project and implement the use of iPads in many schools.
To focus on the development of teachers in order to implement the new school model.
To build more new schools, this year the executive council granted approval for 24 new schools to be built.
We are going to focus on communicating with the community about what we are doing. This information should touch every household and every parent should be aware of what’s happening in schools.
I need understanding and support for the reform and would like to thank all of our teachers and principals for their hard work and I would like them to keep up the momentum of hard work.
Catriona Doherty
