Dubai: Schoolchildren will get to see their parents step into their shoes and experience the anxiety and stress of sitting for an exam, following the launch of a charity campaign by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
Test4Good, which will be implemented by private schools in Dubai and their students, will see the community make a donation to take a sample test of the international assessment examination in science, maths or literacy.
All the donations made to Test4Good — which will run from February 23 to April 15 — will go towards the completion of Dubai Autism Centre’s new building.
“We linked the charity campaign with the international assessment tests because there is a lack of awareness and community involvement in international exams. These exams are part pf the country’s national agenda yet many parents don’t even know that their children are currently taking them,” said Dr Abdullah Al Karam, Director-General of KHDA, who launched the charity campaign on Monday at the ‘What Works: Literacy and Creativity’ event.
Dr Al Karam explained that to fulfil the national agenda goals, UAE students must be among the 15 highest performing countries in TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and top 20 highest performing countries in PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment).
However the UAE is currently below average in these examinations compared to other countries and Dr Al Karam believes their ranking can go up with community and parent support.
“In this way we are combining two causes, first we are raising awareness in the community, especially parents, about these examination and second, we are raising funds for the Dubai Autism Centre.”
Dubai Autisim Centre is currently facing a shortage in spaces, as Dr Sara Baker, Head of Community Service Unit at the centre, said the facility, which currently caters to 53 students, has a waiting list for more than 200.
“The new building, which will be completed this year, will initially cater to 70 students with the possibility of expanding and catering to up to 200 students.”
Dr Sara said a total of Dh10 million is needed to complete the four-storey building.
“We started building it in 2007 and it was supposed to be completed in 2009. We were receiving a lot of donations but then the recession came and people started holding back, so the building process froze.”
The Test4good ‘movement’ as Dr Al Karam coined it, aims to reach 100,000 people. Once it ends a ceremony will be held in May.
Fatima Al Merri, CEO of Dubai Schools Agency at the KHDA, said research has shown that active parental involvement in children’s education is crucial to academic success.
“When parents take part in Test4Good, they will have a good understanding of the tests, and will be better able to help their children prepare. We wanted to raise awareness about international assessments in an innovative way, encouraging both parents and students to understand the process. As a result, we hope to see improvements to academic results, helping us to meet the targets outlined in the National Agenda.”
