Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General, The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), a regulatory body responsible for the direction and quality of private education in Dubai, tells GN Focus, “It is predicted that there will be the equivalent of 70 additional schools, including new and expanded, in the next five years, providing capacity for an extra 90,000 students.”
Currently, Dubai has 153 private schools offering programmes to more than 225,000 students across 15 different curricula. Private schools cater to 88.7 per cent of Dubai’s population.
Dr Al Karam says, “One of our biggest challenges and priorities is to ensure that the 57 per cent of the UAE nationals attending private schools get the same access to quality education as their peers. In line with government initiatives to improve Arabic and understanding of local heritage, we aim to make sure they are receiving a balanced education relevant to their cultural background.”
KHDA has targeted three main areas of private education system since its inception — quality, accessibility and engagement. In 2008, it set up the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau and became the first organisation to inspect schools in the region.
“The inspections have ensured that unbiased and transparent information is available to parents so that they are able to make informed choices about their child’s education,” says Dr Al Karam.
KHDA has also improved communication between investors, parents and schools with its customer services. “Recently, we launched a pilot scheme for a Parent-School Contract to prevent any dispute over issues such as fees or school hours,” says Dr Al Karam. “While we know that many schools already have excellent contracts in place, we’re also aware that such communication systems are not available across the board, which we are keen to change.”
KHDA works closely with its stakeholders, maintaining and updating its communications through surveys and, most recently, the What Works initiative. Introduced in 2012, this series of workshops is designed to encourage best practices in teaching. “Breaking down barriers and increasing trust within the private education sector, the initiative has encouraged schools to work together, visit each other’s institute and learn through hands-on experience,” he says.
— C.S.
