Reports help parents to evaluate and choose wisely

Monitoring of schools could create healthy competition.

In the absence of comprehensive reports about schools’ educational standards, parents in Abu Dhabi have so far chosen schools for their children based on word-of-mouth recommendations and points made on informal forums.

When told about the Abu Dhabi Education Council’s (Adec) Irtiqaa system, and the availability of detailed reports, parents said the initiative would greatly ease the search for schools and expressed hope that it would be a harbinger for positive change in the emirate’s education system.

“I moved to Abu Dhabi about three years ago, and at the time, I found it particularly difficult to determine where I should enrol my children,” Doaa Ahmed, 34, an Egyptian marketing executive told Gulf News.

Eventually, Ahmed settled for The Cambridge High School in Abu Dhabi because her children had been studying at the school’s Dubai branch.

“To be honest, there was no way to find out which school was better than the other, or even to get a list of schools in a particular locality. So the publication of a series of evaluation reports by the emirate’s educational authority will definitely come in use to other new residents, the mother-of-two said.

“Thankfully, I happened to enrol my children at a school that is today ranked among the best facilities. Knowing this gives me peace of mind about my children’s development at school, and I believe it will encourage the school to monitor its own standards,” she added.

Bassam Al Fakih, a 40-year-old public relations branch manager from Lebanon, was equally enthusiastic about the evaluations.

“My son is now two years old and enrolled at a nursery. Over the next year, we hope to find a school for him. As a parent, it is difficult to personally visit all the schools we are considering, and other people’s reviews are not always accurate. This is why the Adec reports will be particularly handy for us,” he said.

Parents were also especially appreciative that the Adc’s Irtiqaa inspection system will continuously monitor schools.

“All four of my children have been educated in Abu Dhabi and over the years, I have seen the teaching quality at many schools deteriorate,” said R.M., 44, a long-term Pakistani resident in Abu Dhabi.
“This is why the most positive aspect about the reports is the fact that they create competition among schools and keep parents continuously informed,” she added

Gulf News: http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/education/reports-help-parents-to-evaluate-and-choose-wisely-1.1215087