Presentation on "Benchmarking in the educational sector at global perspective" by Dr. Wafi Dawood during the 6th International Benchmarking Conference organized by Dubai Quality Group from 6-7 March 2012 at Al Bustan Rotana Dubai

1. The Importance of Benchmarking Dubai Education: Global and
Local Perspectives
Dr. Wafi Dawood
Chief of Institutional Development
Knowledge & Human Development Authority
6th International Benchmarking Conference – 6 March 2011

2. Arab Knowledge Report
Knowledge
Social and As a service and as
political an avenue for reform
frameworks
Openness and
Intercommunication
Freedom Development
Rights and
Human
Dignity

3. Some of the Key Issues
 Dearth of data and lack of regional and national bodies issuing
reliable statistics
 While GCC countries have a high GDP, they score low in
innovation and knowledge development indices
 Extremist trends that fail to recognize the Other

4. Proposals for Creating the Arab Knowledge Society
 Creation of Enabling Environments
 Transfer and Indigenization of Knowledge
 Deployment of Knowledge

5. KHDA Overview
Vision Mission
To assure quality and to improve accessibility to
Life Long Learning to fulfill Dubai’s Aspirations education, learning and human development, with
the engagement of the community
Continuing
Education Early
and Childhood
Workforce Education
Development
KHDA
Private Private
Higher Schools
Education Education

6. KHDA Link with Dubai Strategic Plan 2015
Infrastructure,
DSP 2015 Economic Social Security, Justice Public Sector
DSP Land and
Development Development and Safety Excellence
Environment
KHDA
Where KHDA contributes
Preparing Dubai’s Raising awareness High quality and Raising education Creating high quality
workforce for the of environmental accessible and knowledge and sustainable
knowledge issues from the education/learning levels of all to institutions/capability
economy earliest age and enhance security,
throughout the Nationals’ skilled justice a and Forefront of
Improving education system and participating safety strategy and front-
KHDA Nationals’ in strategic areas line delivery
qualifications and Integrating Increasing
motivation sustainable National identify awareness of Close private
development into preserved and rights and sector working and
Continuous formal learning culture promoted responsibilities optimal financing
learning to
enhance the well- Promoting broader High-value Public health Innovative public
being of citizens use of facilities in decision making awareness and consultation and
and residents the community across the sector education customer care
Effective joint working across the Authorities to successfully deliver the Dubai Strategic Plan

7. Dubai’s Education Landscape
 227 Schools (148 private)
Private IB
2%
 87% of Dubai’s school students MoE
Other
7%
are in private schools 7%
Indian
27%
 77% of Dubai’s school students
Public MoE
are expatriates 12%
 57% of Emirati students are in US
UK
private schools 19%
26%
 13 different curricula are on
offer in Dubai’s schools Distribution of students
in Dubai Schools

8. ?Why we Benchmark at KHDA
KHDA in 2007
Lack of data Internal
Need to develop a strategy International Comparisons
Need to engage with schools Comparisons within Dubai
(Curriculum,
gender, schools)
KHDA main Objectives
Improve quality of education
Decision making to improve
education Comparisons
Transparency of information for over time
parents to make informed choices

9. How do we Benchmark at KHDA?
International Assessments School Inspections
Benchmarking

10. International Assessments
TIMSS
PIRLS PISA
Trends in
Progress in Programme for
International
International International
Mathematics
Reading Literacy Student
and Science
Study Assessment
Study
Dubai’s Participation in International Assessments
2007 2009 2011 2012
TIMSS 2007 PISA 2009 TIMSS 2011 PISA 2012
PIRLS 2011

11. TIMSS - Differences in Mathematics and Science scores by School Type

12. TIMSS - Differences in Mathematics and Science scores by school curriculum, Year 4

13. TIMSS - Differences in Mathematics and Science scores by school curriculum, Year 8

14. PISA - Reading Proficiency (Student Population at Age 15)
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
Country rankings shown in parentheses

15. PISA – Differences between Male and Female students in Dubai
600
550
500 485 480
451 454 453
450 436
400
350
300
Female Male Female Male Female Male
Reading Mathematics Science

16. PISA – What are the differences by Curriculum in Dubai?
600
550
500
450
400
350
300
IB UK Indian US Private MoE Public MoE
Reading Mathematics Science OECD Scale Average

17. PISA – Is there any difference in the performance of UAE nationals across different
curricula?
600
550
500
453
450
415
400
381
350 336
300
Public MoE Private MoE US UK

18. Why are weWe Inspecting Schools in Dubai?
Why Are inspecting schools in Dubai?
 To identify strengths and weaknesses of each school to
enable improvement and innovation
 To conduct broad reviews using a comprehensive range
of quality indicators that cover all facets of school life
 To share best practice on different levels
 To publish results to provide parents with an informed
choice and improve accountability of schools
 To use inspection results to inform policy making and
thereby improve Dubai’s education system and the
workforce readiness of its graduates
 To provide a reference against international best
practice

19. School Inspections Results over the last 3 Cycles

20. School Inspections Results over the last 3 Cycles

21. How did KHDA use the results?
International Assessments Schools Inspection
Publicize International assessment results
Fact sheets and Publicize Inspection results
National reports  School inspection reports
 Annual reports
Engagement and Knowledge Sharing of  Key findings of Indian and Pakistani
PISA results with Schools schools
Workshops  Key findings of private schools
KHDA provided schools with their
individual results benchmarked against: Engagement and Knowledge Sharing of
Dubai average inspection results with Schools
the average of schools that offer the  School visits
same curriculum,  Parents, teachers and students surveys
schools with students of a similar social
economic background

22. Thank You