Al Bhatti
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August 25, 2012
Abu Dhabi has one of the lowest illiteracy rates in the Arab World
More than 95% of girls in the emirate enrolled at schools in 2011
A focus on education by government authorities, residents and educational establishments has reduced the illiteracy rate among Emiratis in the emirate of Abu Dhabi to just six per cent in 2011, the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD) announced yesterday.In addition, only 7.5 per cent of the emirates population over the age of 10 years, both Emiratis and expatriates, were recorded as illiterate in 2011, the SCAD report added.
These illiteracy rates are among the lowest in the Arab World, where the average rate of illiteracy was 27.3 per cent in 2009. It also represents a significant drop in illiteracy in the emirate since the formation of the UAE in 1971, when 75.12 per cent of the emirates population was not literate, accordin to the information released by the SCAD.
According to historical records, formal education in Abu Dhabi emirate began in the 1960s, and the establishment of the Ministry of Education and Youth in 1971 helped the rapid development of the education sector.
In 2005, the then-newly formed Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) took over the development of education in the emirate, introducing reforms to the method of teaching in public schools under the New School Model. Public and private school premises were also overhauled, with hundreds of villa schools closed down and pupils relocated to better premises in order to ensure a better environment for education.
In the 2010-2011 academic year, the emirate boasted 480 schools, including 299 public schools operated by the Abu Dhabi Education Council, and 181 private institutions. More than 306,000 pupils were enrolled across these facilities, and 58.9 per cent were in private schools. A ratio of 13.8 pupils per teacher was noted.
Nine universities and 16 other institutions of higher education also operated in 2010-2011, with 44,397 students pursuing their education at these facilities during the year. More than 80 per cent of Emirati students were enrolled at public institutions in the emirate, the SCAD report revealed.
Some 114 literacy and adult education facilities were reported to be in operation over 2010-2011, while home schooling facilities were introduced in 77 locations.;15,242 pupils were educated at the centres, including 10,517 Emiratis, with most pursuing secondary education.
A growing interest in womens education has also been noted. Compared to zero per cent literacy among women in the 1960-1961 academic year, 95.9 per cent of women in Abu Dhabi were enrolled at schools in the 2010-2011 academic year, representing 150,010 female students.
Badriya Saeed Al Hosani, a teacher of Arabic at a public school in the capital, told Gulf News that this considerable progress in education has been possible because of the wise efforts of the UAE leadership.
I am proud to hear of how well we are doing compared to other Arab states, especially in terms of female education. Still, I do believe we will always have room to improve, she said.
Badriya added that the progress in the sector was also a result of efforts to implement new methods of learning.
The Adec does not focus on rote learning. As teachers, we have the latest technological tools at our disposal to encourage children to learn. Parents too have been receptive to new methods that are introduced, said the teacher who has been educating young minds for six years.
The dropout rate from schools was also reported, with 0.7 per cent of all pupils in the emirate dropping out in Cycle 1 (Grade 1 to 5), 1.3 per cent dropping out in Cycle 2 (Grades 6 to 9) and 4.1 per cent leaving school in Cycle 3 (Grades 10 to 12).
The Adec has exerted tremendous efforts to improve education standards in Abu Dhabi. But this is not an easy task, and will take a while, said Shareefa Ahmed, an Emirati education consultant in Abu Dhabi.
I feel as if the quality of pupils has declined in recent years, and I do hope children will value more the education they are being provided with. In addition, numerous teachers are being recruited by the Adec to better education standards, but the quality of these teachers must also be rigorously screened, she added.
Abu Dhabi has one of the lowest illiteracy rates in the Arab World | GulfNews.com
Abu Dhabi has one of the lowest illiteracy rates in the Arab World
More than 95% of girls in the emirate enrolled at schools in 2011
A focus on education by government authorities, residents and educational establishments has reduced the illiteracy rate among Emiratis in the emirate of Abu Dhabi to just six per cent in 2011, the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi (SCAD) announced yesterday.In addition, only 7.5 per cent of the emirates population over the age of 10 years, both Emiratis and expatriates, were recorded as illiterate in 2011, the SCAD report added.
These illiteracy rates are among the lowest in the Arab World, where the average rate of illiteracy was 27.3 per cent in 2009. It also represents a significant drop in illiteracy in the emirate since the formation of the UAE in 1971, when 75.12 per cent of the emirates population was not literate, accordin to the information released by the SCAD.
According to historical records, formal education in Abu Dhabi emirate began in the 1960s, and the establishment of the Ministry of Education and Youth in 1971 helped the rapid development of the education sector.
In 2005, the then-newly formed Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) took over the development of education in the emirate, introducing reforms to the method of teaching in public schools under the New School Model. Public and private school premises were also overhauled, with hundreds of villa schools closed down and pupils relocated to better premises in order to ensure a better environment for education.
In the 2010-2011 academic year, the emirate boasted 480 schools, including 299 public schools operated by the Abu Dhabi Education Council, and 181 private institutions. More than 306,000 pupils were enrolled across these facilities, and 58.9 per cent were in private schools. A ratio of 13.8 pupils per teacher was noted.
Nine universities and 16 other institutions of higher education also operated in 2010-2011, with 44,397 students pursuing their education at these facilities during the year. More than 80 per cent of Emirati students were enrolled at public institutions in the emirate, the SCAD report revealed.
Some 114 literacy and adult education facilities were reported to be in operation over 2010-2011, while home schooling facilities were introduced in 77 locations.;15,242 pupils were educated at the centres, including 10,517 Emiratis, with most pursuing secondary education.
A growing interest in womens education has also been noted. Compared to zero per cent literacy among women in the 1960-1961 academic year, 95.9 per cent of women in Abu Dhabi were enrolled at schools in the 2010-2011 academic year, representing 150,010 female students.
Badriya Saeed Al Hosani, a teacher of Arabic at a public school in the capital, told Gulf News that this considerable progress in education has been possible because of the wise efforts of the UAE leadership.
I am proud to hear of how well we are doing compared to other Arab states, especially in terms of female education. Still, I do believe we will always have room to improve, she said.
Badriya added that the progress in the sector was also a result of efforts to implement new methods of learning.
The Adec does not focus on rote learning. As teachers, we have the latest technological tools at our disposal to encourage children to learn. Parents too have been receptive to new methods that are introduced, said the teacher who has been educating young minds for six years.
The dropout rate from schools was also reported, with 0.7 per cent of all pupils in the emirate dropping out in Cycle 1 (Grade 1 to 5), 1.3 per cent dropping out in Cycle 2 (Grades 6 to 9) and 4.1 per cent leaving school in Cycle 3 (Grades 10 to 12).
The Adec has exerted tremendous efforts to improve education standards in Abu Dhabi. But this is not an easy task, and will take a while, said Shareefa Ahmed, an Emirati education consultant in Abu Dhabi.
I feel as if the quality of pupils has declined in recent years, and I do hope children will value more the education they are being provided with. In addition, numerous teachers are being recruited by the Adec to better education standards, but the quality of these teachers must also be rigorously screened, she added.
Abu Dhabi has one of the lowest illiteracy rates in the Arab World | GulfNews.com
