Al Khaili Announces the Launch of the New School Model That Will be
Implemented on all of Abu Dhabi Schools Within 6 Years

ABU DHABI, UAE, Sept. 13 /CNW/ - H.E Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), announced today the launch of the New School Model (NSM). This announcement was made during Bedaya Forum, held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, Abu Dhabi. Over 6,000 teaching and administrative staff & specialists and top dignitaries who gathered for the first time in one place attended the inspirational education, planning and training event.

"The New School Model is the foundation for a better education system and improved student outcomes in the Emirate of 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 thorough 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 attendance 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.

About Abu Dhabi Education Council

On the 10th of September 2005, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of UAE and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, may God protect him, issued Law No. 24 of 2005 on the establishment of Abu Dhabi Education Council under the chairmanship of His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and HH Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Vice-Chairman of the Council.

The objectives for which the Council has been established include two main goals; the first of which is the development of education and educational institutions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the second goal is to provide technical advice on the development of policies and educational services in the Emirate, according to a vision to improve education in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to the highest international standards.

For further information: about the Abu Dhabi Education Council, please contact the headquarters of the Council: Tel. [phone], or visit our website: http://www.adec.ac.ae; Mourad Tlili, Media Section Manager, Tel: [phone], e-mail: [email protected]; Alanood Al-Feel, Edelman, Tel: [phone], e-mail: [email protected]