Over 30 countries participate in Sharjah education summit
Participants discuss different aspects of education under the theme ‘Pioneering Future Education’ at the campus of the Sharjah Education Academy
The 3rd edition of Sharjah International Summit on Improvement in Education has started with the participation from over 30 countries to discuss different aspects of education under the theme “Pioneering Future Education” at the campus of the Sharjah Education Academy (SEA).
The SEA in collaboration with Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, the Summit explores four pillars that address the dynamics of successful educational systems, the foresight of AI’S influence on future education, the methods of evaluation and innovation in the age of technology, and the quality of life in the educational environment.
Dr. Muhadithah Al Hashemi, President of SEA and Chairperson of SPEA, delivered her welcoming remarks, in which she expressed her gratitude and appreciation to Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, for his continuous support of the summit and keenness to develop the education sector in Sharjah.
During her speech, the President of SEA shared the evaluation results of private schools in Sharjah from 2018 to 2023.
The SPEA received the evaluation results of the quality of private school performance in 2018, which presented an unprecedented challenge.
“From that defining moment in private education in the Emirate of Sharjah, the school improvement and development journey began. A journey that was inspired by the vision of the Ruler of Sharjah and illuminated by his directives in shaping Sharjah’s approach to developing education. The approach is based on five scientific pillars, including government support, a culture of continuous improvement, governance, building abilities, and partnering with the community,” said Dr Al Hashimi. “Sharjah has taken an innovative approach to education development, with five scientific pillars that form the basis of research focused on improvement. The results of the ‘Itqan’ programme evaluation for private schools in Sharjah in 2023, as well as the performance indicators of the Sharjah Private Education Authority, have shown a significant boost in the quality of education in the emirate. Private schools in the Emirate of Sharjah have achieved a 70% improvement in the ‘Itqan’ programme compared to the 2018 school evaluation,” she added.
“The schools have shown a remarkable improvement in all subjects, especially in the Arabic language subject for native speakers. The percentage of students performing well in this subject has increased from 4% to 59%, making the Arabic language evaluation 100% acceptable or above. Also, the number of students receiving education in high-quality schools has increased from 15% to 61%. Moreover, the satisfaction level of parents regarding the quality of teaching and learning has reached 84%.” According to the President of SEA, the confidence index among parents of students in the emirate has reached 90% regarding the quality of education.
Additionally, the quality of students’ lives index has achieved a rate of 86%. Furthermore, there has been a significant improvement in the index for training and developing teachers’ capabilities, which has increased from 15% to 70%.
In her speech, Dr Al Hashimi highlighted that the private sector’s investment in education in the emirate has increased by 25%.
This increase signifies a strengthening of investors’ confidence in the sector.
She also emphasised that the “Sharjah Approach to Educational Development” has made significant achievements.
One of the most prominent achievements is the presence of 78 qualified national teachers who are members of the “Proud to be a Teacher” programme.
These teachers are practicing the mission of education in private sector schools in the emirate.
The “Rise for the Teacher” initiative was launched by Dr Al Hashimi under the directives of Sheikh Sultan.
The community-driven initiative aims to support and appreciate teachers in tangible ways that positively impact their quality of life, growth, and professional development.
According to WAM, the Summit features 60 speakers across 32 panel discussions and training sessions, with an elite lineup of experts, specialists, and researchers in the field of educational practice improvement.