Abu Dhabi private schools to display performance ratings - What every parent needs to know
The plaques will reflect each school's latest Irtiqa'a inspection rating and National Identity Mark, serving as a clear and visible reference for parents, students, and school visitors. This step reinforces ADEK's commitment to raising education standards and empowering parents with meaningful insights into their child's learning environment.
'These plaques represent more than just a rating — they reflect a school's commitment to academic excellence and to nurturing a strong sense of national identity in our students,' said Sulaiman Al Ameri, Acting Private Education and Charter Schools Sector Executive Director at ADEK. 'By making performance outcomes visible, we're encouraging continuous improvement and giving parents a transparent, at-a-glance understanding of school quality.'
The plaques showcase two key indicators of school quality:
Irtiqaa Rating – an inspection framework that evaluates school performance across six core areas: student achievement, personal and social development, teaching and assessment, curriculum quality, student care and wellbeing, and leadership effectiveness.
National Identity Mark – A measure of how well schools embed and promote national culture, values, and citizenship within their educational environment.
In the future, the School Performance Plaques will also feature the Wellbeing Mark, reflecting schools' related efforts in nurturing and positively impacting students' and teachers' social, emotional and physical wellbeing.
The initiative aligns with ADEK's broader efforts to create a world-class education ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, where informed decision-making by families is a pillar of success.
Parents are encouraged to look for the plaques when visiting schools and explore more about the Irtiqa'a and National Identity frameworks on the ADEK website or its parent app – Rayah.
-Ends-
For more information, visit adek.gov.ae or follow ADEK on social media:
About Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK)
The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is the Education Sector regulator across the Emirate. It oversees and provides services throughout a learner's journey from early education to university and beyond. It also champions inclusivity for People of Determination in the mainstream schooling system and by providing specialized schools.
Across Early Childhood and K-12, ADEK licenses and regulates nurseries and private schools in Abu Dhabi while also legislating, mandating, and managing its own Charter Schools and 2 schools for People of Determination.
ADEK also annually provides distinguished Abu Dhabi students with full scholarships and support to study at the best universities around the world. In addition, the Department audits and enhances the delivery of Higher Education in Abu Dhabi, attracting Higher Education Institutions to open the required Program or schools that serve Abu Dhabi's needs while championing a student and faculty-friendly ecosystem in the Emirate.
With a vision to Empower Education. Empower Minds. Empower the Future, ADEK recognizes that every learner is different, and a diversity of teaching methods are essential for students to succeed. To that effect, ADEK partners with stakeholders to enable a great education system to flourish in Abu Dhabi and nurture future-ready graduates who have the 21st-century skills required to sustain and carry forward Abu Dhabi's vision.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
Dubai Humanitarian leads collective tribute on World Humanitarian Day 2025 with UN and partners
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: In observance of World Humanitarian Day 2025, Dubai Humanitarian convened a community gathering alongside the UN Resident Coordinator Office in the UAE, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and the UAE Aid Agency to honour the dedication, courage, and sacrifices of humanitarian workers, and to reaffirm that civilians and aid workers must never be a target. Held under the theme 'Act for Humanity', the event took place at Dubai Humanitarian's headquarters and brought together representatives from UN agencies, UAE-based aid organisations, international NGOs, and government partners. The gathering served as a moment of collective reflection on the courage of those who serve on the frontlines of crises, while also underscoring the growing need for global solidarity and principled humanitarian action. The programme featured speeches by HE Bérangère Boëll, UN Resident Coordinator for the UAE; Mrs. Sajeda Shawa, Head of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) - UAE office; and HE Rashed Al Hamiri, Director of the Operations Department at UAE Aid. A minute of silence was observed in memory of those who have lost their lives while helping others. Giuseppe Saba, CEO and Board Member of Dubai Humanitarian, opened the event by underscoring the importance to carry forward our humanitarian mission through continued collaboration with partners across every sector. In his remarks, he stated: ' World Humanitarian Day is a powerful reminder of our shared humanity and responsibility. As an active participant in the humanitarian ecosystem, Dubai Humanitarian bears witness to the great sacrifices humanitarian workers make. We stand in solidarity with all those affected by crises, aid workers and civilians alike, and reaffirm our commitment to delivering hope, dignity, and support wherever it is needed, no matter the challenge or distance.' For her part, HE Bérangère Boëll, UN Resident Coordinator for the UAE, added: ' On this World Humanitarian Day, we honor those we have lost and the courage of those who continue to serve. But remembrance must be matched by resolve, to protect civilians, to defend international humanitarian law, and to ensure that aid is never blocked, never politicized, and never forgotten.' HE Rashed Alhemeri, Executive Director of Operations at UAE Aid, said: ' The humanitarian aid is in the DNA of the UAE and the guidance and directives of our leaders have pushed the UAE's global humanitarian response to higher levels. The UAE allocated 40% of its total foreign assistance during the last two years to the humanitarian response. We commemorate the UAE's humanitarian martyrs and all others who lost their lives while helping others. Rashid Al Hemeir also referred to 2025, the Year of the Community and its slogan 'hand in hand' and stressed that it is only by working together as partners that we can address the serious challenges the humanitarian work is facing especially to access people in need and avail the resources required.' In the closing remarks, Sajeda Shawa, Head of OCHA's UAE Office, said: ' Today, after more than two decades since the horrific explosion in 2003, the dangers have only grown. In 2024 alone, 383 humanitarian workers were killed – the highest number ever recorded. This year, we are already counting devastating losses. We face unprecedented challenges. 300 million people are in urgent need of assistance this year, yet humanitarian operations are only 18 per cent funded. Millions will go without food, medicine, or protection. These are the steepest cuts we have ever faced – and the cost will be measured in lives. That is why OCHA's Humanitarian Reset is about more than reform, it is about renewal. We are putting people, not systems, at the center. We are shifting power to local communities. We are cutting through inefficiency. We are recommitting to the essence of humanitarianism: protecting life with dignity,' added Shawa World Humanitarian Day, observed every year on 19 August, was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2008. The day commemorates the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, honours the sacrifices of humanitarian workers, and underscores the importance of protecting civilians and those serving in humanitarian settings. Each year, it serves as a powerful reminder of the need to uphold international humanitarian principles and to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian action around the world.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
How flexible work hours for UAE government staff will ease pupils back to school
Government staff in the UAE will be allowed to work shorter hours for the first week of the new school year if their child attends nursery. Federal employees whose children attend primary school and above are allowed to work reduced hours on the first day of the school year, on August 25, the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources said. Staff whose children are at primary school are allowed to be late for work or can leave early on the first day by no more than three hours, the authority added on X. The same rules apply to government staff whose children attend nursery, but the guidelines apply for the whole of the first week. Staff may also be granted permission to work shorter hours so they can attend parent-teacher meetings, graduation ceremonies and other school events during the academic year, the authority added. Approved by the UAE Cabinet, the flexible working plan was introduced in 2018 to boost the work-life balance of federal employees. Thousands of pupils are preparing to return to classrooms across the UAE next week. For many schools in the country, such as British and American establishments, the end of August is the start of the 2025-2026 academic year. However, the school year starts in April for Indian-curriculum schools, with the summer holiday an interlude in their calendar. The UAE academic year for public and private schools is divided into three terms, with winter, spring and summer breaks, and must be made up of at least 182 days.
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Union House inscribed on Alecso registry of Arab architectural heritage sites
The Union House has been inscribed on the registry of Arab architectural heritage sites, an initiative by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (Alecso). Built in 1965 and located on Jumeirah Street in Dubai, the structure is a landmark of UAE history. Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, former Ruler of Dubai, would conduct important meetings at the house. Most notably, it was where the Declaration of the Union was signed in July 1971, marking the foundation of the country. The historic site has since been restored, remaining faithful to its original design, and is now part of Etihad Museum. It houses artefacts, photographs and documents related to the formation of the UAE. The Union House has been among several sites inscribed on the register since Alecso launched the initiative this month. The list also includes the Zitouna Mosque in Tunisia, the old city of Miliana in Algeria, the Medina of Fez in Morocco, Tounen village in Libya's Ghadames, Mauritania's Azougui Archaeological Site, Al Khabra Town and Qishla Fortress in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Towers, Oman's Al Hamouda Mosque, the Barzan Tower and Murwab Archaeological Site in Qatar, the Umayyad Mosque in Syria and Egypt's Al Jazira Arts Centre. The list also includes sites in Yemen's Aden, on the Tigris River in Iraq and in Palestine, including Old City of Jerusalem, Old City of Hebron and the Great Omari Mosque in Gaza. The register comes as part of Observatory of Architectural and Urban Heritage in Arab Countries, a larger initiative by Alecso that aims to support the documenting, monitoring of reconstruction of heritage sites. Several cultural figures in the UAE have commented on the significance of the The Union House's inscription. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed, chairwoman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and member of Dubai Council and the Executive Council of Dubai, said on X that it 'constitutes a new chapter in Dubai's legacy as a city that transcends time and generations, a city of the past, present and future". 'The building, which witnessed the announcement of the union of the UAE in 1971, now stands among 19 Arab heritage sites as a living testament to the nation's birth and a cornerstone of our identity, history and belonging," Sheikha Latifa said. 'Our gratitude goes to the team at the Ministry of Culture and the National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, for their dedicated efforts in safeguarding and preserving the UAE's heritage.' Ahmed Al Marzooqi, a writer and lecturer at Sorbonne University in Paris, replied to the post, saying: 'The Union House is not merely a building, but a living memory of a nation's birth and a beacon of unity and pride. Its inscription in the Alecso registry elevates it as a bridge connecting past, present and future reminding us that strong identity is the foundation upon which nations endure and thrive.'
