Initiative to gauge performance of students gets under way

Abu Dhabi: All Grade 10 to 12 public school students in the emirate of Abu Dhabi began the External Measurement of Student Achievement (ESMA) testing on Monday as part of an Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) initiative to gauge student performance levels in core competencies.

More than 30,000 students will be examined on one subject per day including Arabic on January 4, English on January 5, and Mathematics on January 6. Grade 10 students will take an additional general science exam on January 7.

Results of the testing will be made available through an online portal to schools and students in approximately 1-2 months.

EMSA testing has been used to provide a benchmark to measure actual student progress against the standards and performance levels expected at each grade level.

The results will provide information and guidance for individual students and school faculty and administration on their performance relative to other students and schools throughout the Emirate. This allows students to identify areas that require additional attention and helps teachers to reassess and develop their teaching programs according to the specific needs of their students.