Nurturing Minds: Exploring the National Education Agenda Parameters in the UAE

UAE VISION 2021

“Education is a fundamental element for the development of a nation and the best investment in its youth.”

The UAE Vision 2021, launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, emphasizes the crucial role of education in achieving national aspirations. The vision aims to foster active citizenship, entrepreneurship, improved education, and a knowledge-based economy driven by innovation and technology. The UAE recognizes the need for a world-class education system aligned with international standards to fulfill these goals. Investments are made to upgrade infrastructure, enhance teaching methods, incorporate technology, and strengthen the curriculum. The vision also promotes research, innovation, and scientific advancements to drive economic growth and societal progress. By prioritizing education, the UAE aims to cultivate a skilled workforce and a culture of innovation for sustainable development and global competitiveness.

Objectives of UAE National Agenda

	PISA: to be among the 20 highest performing countries.		TIMSS: to be among the 15 highest performing countries in TIMSS (Trends in international Mathematics and Science Study).
	Completion of high school education: To ensure that 90% of Emirati students complete their high school education.		Attending pre-primary: to ensure that 95% of children in the UAE attend pre-primary education.
ش لا ة م ز ظ ط ء ر ف ع خ ع ض ئ ث ع م ه غ ف ث س ش ا ن ك ز ظ ى لا ؤ ء ئش  ش ي ل ن ى لا ر ء ئ	High skill in Arabic language: to ensure that 90% of Grade 9 students develop high skill in Arabic language in the UAE NAP assessment.		Highly quality teachers: to ensure that 100% of schools have high quality teachers.
	High effective school leadership: to ensure that 100% of public schools have highly effective school leadership.		University foundation programme: to ensure that no students need to join the university foundation programme.

Implementing the UAE's national education agenda poses challenges for teachers and schools, including aligning the curriculum, providing professional development, integrating technology, ensuring inclusion and special education support, implementing effective assessment methods, engaging parents, securing resources and infrastructure, and addressing cultural and linguistic diversity. Overcoming these challenges requires proactive efforts, collaboration, continuous learning, and adaptability from teachers and schools.

The UAE educational setting has standardized teacher performance standards to evaluate teachers' professionalism. These standards outline expectations for subject knowledge, instructional practices, classroom management, assessment, technology integration, and professional conduct. Performance evaluations include classroom observations, lesson plan reviews, student feedback, and self-assessment. The goal is to ensure high-quality education and support professional growth among teachers.

References:

gov.ae, 2018. national-agenda-2021. [Online]
Available at: https://www.vision2021.ae/en/national-agenda-2021/list/first-rate-circle

gemsoo-sharjah, 2023. UAE National Agenda. [Online]
Available at: https://www.gemsoo-sharjah.com/About-Us/Our-Community/UAE-National-Agenda

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