‘New school model’ launched

Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), announced the launch of the New School Model (NSM).

This announcement was made during Bedaya Forum, held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi.

Over 6,000 teaching and administrative staff and specialists and dignitaries attended the planning and training event.

“The New School Model is the foundation for a better education system and improved student outcomes in Abu Dhabi. It focuses on developing students, teachers, the learning environment & community at large - facilities, classrooms, school leadership & management and parental involvement," Dr Al Khaili said.

"Within this model, a new curricula, advanced teaching methods and learning materials & resources are introduced in order to enhance student performance by developing the student as a communicator, a thinker and a problem solver, appreciative of the UAE heritage and culture, be able to develop positive relationships, a confident, healthy, creative and innovative person,'' he added.

Adec's Director-General kicked off the forum with a presentation of Abu Dhabi's P-12 10 year strategic plan 2009/2018 which was announced last year and which aims at producing graduates able to compete with the best internationally through raising the standard of education both in public and private schools. This move will enable Abu Dhabi students to join their universities of choice, locally and abroad, without any academic hinders as well as link the university output with market demands in the emirate.

Speaking at the event, Dr Lynne Pierson, Adec's Director of P-12, presented the key elements of the NSM and its implementation phases.

"NSM will be rolled out in all Adec schools within 6 years. NSM implementation includes the introduction of bilingual teaching methods, modern learning sources and effective assessment tools."

"The model is driven by a student-centered learning approach, the design of world-class school facilities based upon the highest international standards, the technology-rich learning environment and a proactive approach that ensures the health, safety, and well-being of all students. In addition to the physical learning environment, the NSM focuses on continuous training of teachers to enable them to observe students' performance and treat them as free thinkers and independent learners via applying the concept of the 'whole child philosophy’,” she pointed out.

"Information and Communication Technology (ICT) will be available in classrooms to support the learning experience. It will enable children to interact with their learning environment in creative, innovative, and informative way. ICT will be an integral part of active learning,
experimentation, performance, and teacher presentations, Dr. Pierson said.

Dr Pierson also added that teachers are a key factor in this model for ensuring its success. ADEC's professional standards for teachers fall under four areas; the profession, the curriculum, the classroom and the community.

"The learning environment is designed to enable students to construct knowledge and understanding through exploration and experimentation. The designs are to support health and safety, selected materials to enable children to have a meaningful learning experience, indoor and outdoor spaces to support physical and social learning," she added.

Dr Najla Al Raway, Project Manager at Adec's Strategic Planning Department, briefed the attendees on the specific professional development programs developed by Adec to improve staff performance in accordance with the best international practices and levels.

"Studies revealed that better results can be obtained if the staff are trained onsite. Adec is applying the same training approach to ensure that all teachers and school staff receive the necessary training at their own schools on a daily basis.

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