H.H. Sheikh Mohammed announces major changes in education sector

Major changes have been announced to the UAE's education sector, including the appointment of new ministers.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced the changes on Sunday.

Ahmed Belhoul Al Falasi has been appointed as the new Minister of Education, Sarah Al Amiri will serve as Minister of State for Public Education & Future Technology, while Sarah Al-Musallam is the Minister of State for Early Education.

A Federal Authority for Quality and Standards of Education has also been established, which will be affiliated to the UAE Cabinet.

It will be responsible for measuring the educational outcomes, student performance, and the efficiency of the educational process.

الأخوة والأخوات..بمباركة أخي صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس الدولة وبعد التشاور معه نعلن اليوم عن تغيير هيكلي في قطاع التعليم في الدولة كالتالي: نعلن تعيين أحمد بالهول الفلاسي وزيراً للتربية والتعليم، ووجهناه بمراجعة كافة السياسات والتشريعات لمنظومة التعليم بالدولة.

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) May 22, 2022

كما نعلن اليوم عن تعيين سارة الأميري وزيرة دولة للتعليم العام وتكنولوجيا المستقبل ورئيسة لمجلس إدارة مؤسسة الإمارات للتعليم المدرسي، ووجهناها بوضع خطة متكاملة وشاملة للارتقاء بالمدارس الحكومية في الدولة. نشكر الأخ حسين الحمادي والأخت جميلة المهيري على جهودهم خلال الفترة الماضية.

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) May 22, 2022

The latest changes aim to ensure that young people are ready for the workplaces of the future.

The new structure in the UAE's education sector includes the Education and Human Resources Council, Federal Authority for Quality of Education, the Ministry of Education, the Federal Authority for Early Childhood Education, the Emirates Schools Establishment, in addition to the local educational authorities in each emirate.

• The Education and Human Resources Council will be reconstituted, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
  • The council will be responsible for supervising the project of the Future of Education in the country.
  • Also, the Council’s responsibilities will include setting the vision and objectives of the education sector in the UAE, developing the general framework for education and submitting it to the UAE Cabinet for approval, and developing educational policies and legislation. In addition, the Council will follow up the performance of the sector.
• The Federal Authority for Quality and Standards of Education will be responsible for measuring the quality of education, auditing educational outputs related to education, early childhood education, kindergarten, public education, and higher education, in addition to submitting reports on the results and proposals to develop policies, strategies, legislation and curricula.
• The Federal Authority for Early Childhood Education is tasked with developing and implementing comprehensive plans to follow up the child development from birth to the fourth grade.
  • Affiliated with the UAE Cabinet, the Authority will be responsible for developing policies, strategies, legislations and programmes related to the education needs of the early childhood stage.
  • It will be responsible for setting regulations and standards, and issuing licences and monitoring government and private nurseries in the country in coordination with the competent local authorities, and working with parents to enhance their role in the early childhood stage.
• According to the new structure, the responsibilities of the Ministry of Education will include developing policies, strategies and legislation related to public and higher education in the UAE.
  • Its functions include managing and developing the general education framework, curricula and tools for government public education schools in the country, developing curricula for compulsory educational materials for private schools, setting standards and regulations, issuing licenses and monitoring private schools in coordination with the competent local authorities.
  • The work of the Ministry also consists of supervising international exams in the country and managing their implementation in all public, private and higher education institutions, in coordination with the concerned authorities.
  • Its other responsibilities include the recognition of public and higher education institutions operating outside the country, equivalency of certificates and qualifications they grant, and ratification of certificates and qualifications issued by public and higher education and training institutions licensed within the country.
• The Emirates Schools Establishment, which comes under the umbrella of the UAE Cabinet, is concerned with enhancing the efficiency of the government schools and nurseries, supervising public schools in the country, and implementing policies, strategies and standards related to the development of the education sector.
  • Under the new structure, the Establishment will also be specialised in developing student care programmes, activities and events in public schools, supervising their implementation, and proposing innovative and new models for operating public schools to raise their efficiency.