New Guide For Parents Promotes Inclusive Education In Dubai

KHDA

KHDA’S NEW GUIDE FOR PARENTS PROMOTES INCLUSIVE EDUCATION IN DUBAI

Parents of private school students in Dubai can now access a new guide dedicated to informing and empowering them in their journey of inclusive education. The new publication released by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) provides information about parents’ rights and responsibilities and empowers them to be effective advocates for their children.

SIX STEPS TOWARDS INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

STEP 1: SELECTING AN INCLUSIVE SCHOOL FOR YOUR CHILD

STEP 2: YOUR CHILD’S PARTICIPATION IN AN ENTRY ASSESSMENT OF NEED

STEP 3: IDENTIFYING BARRIERS THAT RESTRICT YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING

STEP 4: IMPLEMENTING SUPPORT TO LOWER BARRIERS TO LEARNING

STEP 5: DEVELOPING AN INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLAN (IEP) FOR YOUR CHILD AND ESTABLISHING AN INDIVDUALISED SERVICE AGREEMENT

STEP 6: COMMUNICATING ABOUT AND CONTRIBUTING TO YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION

Fatma Belrehif, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau at KHDA, said: “Our schools have embraced inclusive education, and we have ensured that parents are fully informed and able to make the right choices. The new guide is an important step in realising Dubai’s aspirations to become one of the most inclusive cities in the world.”

The guide provides comprehensive parent support checklists that are important points of reference for parents as they work together with schools to achieve inclusive education. “Parents are the experts on their children. They hold unique knowledge and must be empowered to work in partnership with schools to develop and implement effective systems of support for their children. Enabling parents to have access to information that empowers them to choose the right school for their children and promoting access to inclusive education will bring significant benefit to all students in Dubai private schools,” added Belrehif.

The guide is the latest in a series of inclusive education publications released by KHDA as part of Dubai’s education strategy. The first publication, Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework, launched in 2017, was a key accelerator of the ‘My community… a city for everyone’ initiative.

TO READ THE FULL GUIDE VISIT: www.khda.gov.ae

ADEK

ADEK CHARTER SCHOOL TO PILOT AI ‘SMART SCHOOL’ TECHNOLOGY

Abu Dhabi Department of Education & Knowledge (ADEK) has announced plans to implement advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ‘smart school’ technology multi-systems across its 15-strong network of Charter Schools in the Emirate in partnership with SenseTime.

THE PILOT AT JABEL HAFEET SCHOOL IN AL AIN INTRODUCES CUSTOMISED AI SOLUTIONS THAT WILL BE ROLLED OUT ACROSS ADEK’S CHARTER SCHOOLS’ COMMUNITY

THE TAILORED TECHNOLOGY MULTISYSTEM WILL BE DELIVERED BY A SOPHISTICATED NETWORK OF ADVANCED IP MOTION SENSORS

The multi-faceted smart school tech will utilise cutting-edge motion sensors, facial recognition technology, crowd management monitoring and augmented reality features to secure safer and healthier school environments.

With the game-changing suite of AI-powered solutions capable of signalling early alerts of disruptive behaviour or bullying, as well as tracking compliance to health standards, including Covid-19 prevention measures, the technology will be piloted at Al Ain’s Jabel Hafeet School for the start of the new academic year in September.

Subject to the pilot project’s success, the technology is planned to be deployed gradually across Charter Schools starting from the middle of the 2021/22 academic year.

“With the Charter Schools mandate focused on student centricity, our goal is to constantly enhance and positively impact school environments and operations. Schools are inherently complex environments due to multiple sub-environments co-existing in one setting. We also cannot afford to be complacent when it comes to the wellbeing, health and safety of our students; so the integration and implementation of AI-driven smart technology is an obvious choice due to its cost-effectiveness and availability,” explained Her Excellency Khuloud Al Dhaheri, ADEK’s Executive Director Education Partnerships Sector. The tailored technology multi-system will be delivered by a sophisticated network of advanced IP motion sensors. These will be integrated across Jabel Hafeet Charter School’s existing CCTV infrastructure to ensure ongoing community adherence to ADEK’s holistic Charter School Reopening Compliance Programme, which governs reopening policy across the Emirate’s Charter Schools.

In addition to negating unlawful entry to schools, the technology will manage the attendance of registered students, teachers and staff when they enter and leave the school. By utilising advanced facial recognition technology, it will also aid ongoing adherence to social distancing protocols by monitoring the number of people in restricted areas such as labs, the dining hall, corridors, children’s waiting areas and the auditorium.

With the system also enabling contactless access control to maintain a safe and hygienic environment across the school, additional features cater for people tracking, companion analysis, crowd management and heat-map technology to identify areas and people in contact with a potential Covid-19 case, heightening the speed and efficiency of the school’s response.

Through additional features modelled for ADEK, the technology can identify student behaviour to enhance bullying prevention efforts, gauge student sentiment to ensure educators can customise initiatives and plans to optimise well-being in schools. It will also support online education through interactive and immersive student experiences.

“The potential applications we could develop as we progress this technology are extensive. We will actively monitor the pilot project, its phased implementation and anticipated outcomes as we continue to look to deliver standards of excellence in the provision of ever safer and healthier learning environments for all”, explained Al Dhaheri.

Jabel Hafeet School is among 15 ADEK Charter Schools across Abu Dhabi. A successful third education model that is regionally unique to the Emirate, Charter Schools are the outcome of strategic public and private sector partnerships. These provide an American-based curriculum to stimulate exceptional learning experiences for school students in kindergarten to cycle one, with more grades set to be introduced as students progress their educational journeys.