DUBAI - Several of Dubai’s top schools have been downgraded in the latest round of government inspections because of weakness in Arabic and Islamic studies, UAE daily the National reported on Tuesday, citing the education watchdog.The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KDHA) said some schools ranked “outstanding” last year have been given a lower grade for not making adequate improvements these areas, hitting their ability to raise tuition fees, the newspaper reported.
The KDHA has put increasing emphasis in Arabic and Islamic studies, subjects it sees as very important, which were found lacking in one in 10 schools during the last round of inspections
Of four British-curriculum schools marked “outstanding” last year three have been downgraded and the fourth is still being assessed, the National reported.
Under the inspections schools are judged either 'outstanding', 'good', 'acceptable' or 'unsatisfactory' and the rating impacts by how much schools can increase fees.
News of the downgrades comes just days after the headmaster of one of Dubai’s most prestigious schools, Dubai College, announced he will quit in the face of what he claims is growing government interference in the school’s operations.
Carlo Ferrario said in a letter to parents on Sunday that he will step down as head of the 30-year-old not-for-profit school at the end of the academic year, criticising recent school inspections for changing the “educational landscape”.