What Happens To A School When The Inspections Are Over?

The first batch of 69 Dubai school inspection reports judged 11 schools in need of improvement, the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB) has revealed.

Although only six of the 69 schools were graded as ’unsatisfactory’, five others in higher categories had specific issues which the inspectors say must be put right. All 11 schools will go through a similar process, which involves:
•An action plan drawn up by the school to focus on the immediate steps needed to improve the school, based on the comments made in the inspection report
•A follow-through visit to the school made by two inspectors from the Bureau.
•This visit, which lasts for one day, concentrates only on those issues raised in the action plan. It is not another general school inspection
•A follow-through report is drawn up for parents to see what progress is being made. These reports will go onto KHDA’s website
•The inspectors will continue to visit the school until it meets the recommendations made in the original action plan
However, no school can move up a category – whatever improvements it makes – until the following year’s full school inspection has been made.

No school graded as ‘unsatisfactory’ in the first round of inspections can become ‘acceptable’, ‘good’, or ‘outstanding’ until it is inspected again in the next academic year.

Jameela AlMuhairi, Chief of DSIB at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said: “We will continue to help schools to improve, and will re-visit schools every three months until we are satisfied with the progress they are making. Our full inspections will be carried out again in the next academic year.

“This process is for the benefit of parents, and we want to reassure them that if we found weaknesses in a school, our job does not end there. The follow-through visits are to enable schools to raise their standards in every way necessary. If our concern involves a matter of health or safety, then that will be dealt with as quickly as possible.”

DSIB is giving these 11 schools help and support in making improvements. One school has already transformed itself, while others still have work to do. If a school makes no attempt to improve, then DSIB will work with Dubai Schools Agency, in the case of public schools, to encourage action. If a private school remains reluctant to improve, KHDA’s Licensing and Customer Relations department will be informed of the inspector’s concerns.

The results of the first batch of 69 schools to be inspected were made public on April 2. Four schools were judged ‘outstanding’, 25 were ‘good’, 34 were ‘acceptable’ and six were ‘unsatisfactory’. For more information, please go to www.khda.gov.ae and follow the link to the DSIB reports.

About the Knowledge and Human Development Authority
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is responsible for the future growth, direction and quality of education and learning in Dubai. We aim to support the people of Dubai in achieving their potential from birth and through life’s journey as we work towards achieving the goals set out in the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015.
About the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau

The Dubai Schools Inspections Bureau within the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) was developed to define and measure education quality in order to support the improvement of education in Dubai.

The Bureau will provide:
•An inspection service that produces independent, comprehensive assessment of educational standards and school performance for every school in Dubai, both public and private;
•KHDA, the Government of Dubai and the public with an accurate and detailed view of the quality of school education in Dubai in relation to the educationally best performing countries in the world.