Dubai needs highest level of education

The schools in Dubai are doing a good job, but they have a long way to go to equal the best in the world. A test involving half a million students around the globe, conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, ranked Dubai 41st and 42nd depending on subject area, out of 64 countries/economies that were assessed.

The 15-year-old pupils who took part in the test won Dubai the highest rating in the Middle East, but also showed up some important variations in success within Dubai. More than 5,600 students participated in the test, from 134 schools in the emirate, which allowed Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority to analyse the local results in more detail, finding out that schools following the Indian, British and International Baccalaureate syllabi did the best.

This obviously sends a stark and urgent message to the public sector schools, where the young people of Dubai are being educated. The problems in the public sector schools have been well-documented, and serious efforts are under way to improve the education on offer to nationals in Dubai, as is happening all over the UAE.

A new syllabus worthy of the 21st century has to be introduced, teaching methods need to become more focused on active learning rather than passively gathering facts, teachers need to be recruited who are trained in the new and more effective teaching methods, and the pupils and their families need to be ready for the challenge.

The Pisa test was carried out in May 2009, and did not tell the schools and educational authorities anything that they did not already know. But it is important to see their understanding confirmed, which emphasises the importance of their challenge: To succeed in its strategy of becoming a world class business hub, Dubai needs the best education possible.