Abu Dhabi – The United Arab Emirates is set to revolutionize its education system by replacing traditional exams with skills-based evaluations for students in grades 5 to 8. This groundbreaking initiative was announced by Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, on Tuesday.
Instead of relying solely on final exams, the new system will focus on evaluating students' practical skills and knowledge application.
"While we have decreased the passing rate from 70 percent to 60 percent based on educational outcomes, the project requiring a full exam has not been implemented at any stage," said Al Amiri. "We will apply this in the second stage to assess the readiness of both students and staff."
The minister emphasized that the transition to skills-based evaluations is a gradual process and requires careful planning to ensure its effectiveness. The exact methods for evaluating student projects have yet to be disclosed.
New schools and improved infrastructure
In addition to the educational reforms, the Ministry of Education announced the opening of 25 new schools and the completion of comprehensive maintenance work on 311 existing schools. To accommodate the increasing student population, more than 5,000 new buses have been introduced.
Schools across the country are implementing various measures to welcome students back for the new academic year, including distributing welcome-back kits, creating parent orientation websites, and coordinating staggered start times to alleviate traffic congestion.
Back-to-school expenses
The start of a new academic year often comes with increased expenses for parents. As students prepare for the upcoming school year, many families are purchasing new school supplies or opting for second-hand items to manage costs. Some parents are reporting spending up to Dh2,000 per child on back-to-school essentials.
Despite the rising costs, the UAE has witnessed a significant increase in the number of students transferring from private to public schools.
Approximately 20,000 students made the switch in 2023, with over 280,000 students expected to return to government schools on August 26.