Dubai takes a hard look at how its maths and science teaching adds up

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) was carried out in 2007 in both Government and private schools in Dubai by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

It goes hand-in-hand with school inspections, which are already underway, and PISA assessments of 15-year-olds next year.

The results will be analysed and used by both the Ministry of Education and the KHDA.

KHDA will share the information with the Ministry to collaborate in future planning for Government schools.

In the private sector, the Dubai Schools Inspections Bureau will use TIMSS data to inform their policies.

TIMSS operates on a four-year cycle and measures achievements in maths and science in Years 4 and 8 (10-year-olds and 14-year-olds).

It does not give a world ranking, nor does it rank individual schools or teachers.

However, it does give the KHDA hard, data-based evidence upon which the Authority can move forward with its policies.

In Dubai, 96 primary schools and 88 secondary schools, around 3,000 Year 4 students and a little more than 3,200 Year 8 students, took part.

This provided a sample of Dubai's schools which completely reflects the more-than 13 curricula and many nationalities that make up the education system here.

The other unusual factor in Dubai's education system is that approximately 85 per cent of students here attend private schools.

Dubai's participation in TIMSS is also in line with the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 in the area of Government excellence.

The DSP identifies transparency, accountability and a result-based culture, excellence in customer service, development of human resources, and working effectively within a Federal framework as the guiding principles of its ambition for excellence.

Dr Abdulla Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General at KHDA, said:

"You cannot improve your education system overnight. Neither can we wait 12 years to improve our system, since that is the school life of a child and their education is too important to us. These TIMSS results give us a starting point, a base line, so that we can analyse what our strengths are, and where there is a need for improvement. Taking part in TIMSS shows how committed this Authority is to hard data and evidence-based facts. But what should we do with this data?"