Curriculum design and educational technology key to raising school performance

"The challenge that faces us all is to educate today's learners for tomorrow's world," said Simon Lebus, Chief Executive of the Cambridge Assessment Group, in a ground-breaking ministerial forum that brought together educational leaders in Dubai.

Simon Lebus continued: "It is forecast that the top ten jobs that will be most in demand in 2010, didn't exist in 2004. Societal change and globalisation are transforming education: technology is both a driver and a reflection of this. The forum offers an opportunity to reflect on this change, and how it can be managed to build capacity and improve educational performance."

The international forum, 'Building Capacity, Raising Performance: Trends in Secondary Education' was hosted by University of Cambridge International Examinations, RM Education plc, and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. More than 90 delegates, including ministry officials, representing 11 countries, debated key educational issues facing the region.

Representatives from leading UK provider of educational technology, RM Education plc, described to delegates new developments which are transforming the face of learning and assessment in the UK. Delegates discussed the ways in which national learning platforms, online learning resources and tools to support teachers in their classroom practice were achieving educational effectiveness.

Ann Puntis, University of Cambridge International Examinations Chief Executive, reviewed global trends in education, including the importance of aligning curriculum with assessment, and of having an international outlook.

She said: 'There is a very important take-home message from this forum, that focusing on what teachers do in the classroom is the most effective way of making education reform succeed. Our experience is that the evidence supports this view on every occasion - and we've been working on education with governments around the world for over a hundred years.'

Tan Yap Kwang, Chief Executive of Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, provided an overview of how Singapore has developed one of the most advanced education systems in the world. He echoed this view, saying: "Singapore has become an educational powerhouse. Teachers are the engines of our educational success."

Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board, has long worked with University of Cambridge International Examinations.

The effect of globalisation on education should not be overlooked, warned Fatma Al Marri, the Chief Executive Officer of the Schools Agency at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, who discussed issues of cultural identity in a changing educational world. Mrs Al Marri described how modern education systems can maintain a positive national cultural identity while catering for an increasingly cosmopolitan student base.

In his address to delegates at the opening conference dinner, Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said: "The issues of building capacity and raising performance as addressed by this conference are critical parts of the broad approach we are taking at KHDA.

We know, for example, that reforming curriculum, using technology more effectively to harness necessary data, raising the prestige and role of teaching and teachers, as well as building new schools all feed improvements. We must overall however re-engineer systems and strategies and establish public accountability, from and to the public.

Success and the right outcomes must also be incentivised across the board in innovative ways. Only through this holistic approach, in which assessments have their rightful place, and diverse social policies and communities' involvement are incorporated will be achieve the future we strive for."