Abu Dhabi, March 22: Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has stressed the importance for all private schools in the Abu Dhabi to obtain the Council’s accreditation
a system that allows the identification of the most successful school models and encourages creativity and innovation in the field of education.
Therefore, each eligible school will be granted the said accreditation under a license called ‘the accreditation license’.
According to the Special Education Regulations to be issued by the Council in the near future, the accreditation will be granted to schools that meet the requirements of the council such as an established leadership and the presence of an efficient administration represented by an effective Board of Trustees ensuring the implementation of administration best practices.
Yousif Al Sheryani, Executive Director of the private education and quality assurance sector, explained that, in order to obtain approval, schools must meet some conditions: achieving a grade that is not less than (good) in overall performance and no less than (satisfactory) according to all the assessment benchmarks and standards. The approval is also subject to the schools auto-evaluation effectiveness, along with concrete plans and school development procedures aiming to achieve the standards set by the external accreditation bodies that are accredited by the Council.
Al Sheryani also added that during May 2011, ADEC will run a pilot application of the accreditation system in a number of Abu Dhabi schools for feedback on this operation and later, once approval from the higher authorities is secured, ADEC will apply it fully in all schools according to a well-devised time plan that will be announced in due time.
The three-year accreditation licence, to be issued by the Council, is automatically renewable for similar periods provided that the school keeps the commitment to the accreditation standards as defined by the provision. In order to maintain the licence, the school must present proof of application of several successful strategies for diverse and innovative development and should also exchange of best practices with other schools.
The accredited – licensed school will be granted autonomy in running its own administration in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in the Private Schools policies and guidelines pamphlet.
The regulation also stipulated that the proprietor of the school is to appoint a Board of Trustees to ensure the school management effectiveness and efficiency by empowering the board members to question the director of the school.
The Board of Trustees is also responsible for the appointment of the principal and the assessment of his performance and his dismissal from office if necessary. The Board is also to approve the school policies and development plans, and ensures that the development policies and plans established by the principal support the achievement of the school’s vision and values and comply with the provisions of this resolution and the private schools policies and regulations pamphlet.
The Board of Trustees is also responsible for overseeing the achievement of objectives and monitoring the progress made in order to achieve the school goals and aspirations.
In accordance with the regulations, the school owner may become a member of the Board of Trustees or president of the board, he shall take part in voting at the time of decision making in accordance with the Terms of governance but he is not entitled to participate in the management of daily school operations and he is not to be allocated a permanent office at school.
As needed, the Board of Trustees may form the required number of sub-committees (The Board of Trustees Subcommittees) and determine the roles and responsibilities of those committees, which should be to provide assistance and support to the Board of Trustees in carrying out and monitoring the assigned tasks.
At least once every three months, the Board of Trustees holds a meeting called for by the Board’s chairman or the school owner, the assembly may only proceed when at least two third of the members are present, and shall take decisions voted for by the majority while tie vote cases can be resolved by the chairman. The Board of Trustees meetings are recorded and documented, and records are submitted to the Council when necessary.
Al Sheryani also said that according to the regulations, each school should form a grievance permanent committee that handles written complaints made against the school and the method of operation. The school principal chairs the sub-committee and may delegate his powers within the committee to those he deems competent. The sub-committee is to report to the Board of Trustees with responses to grievances, without any delay and in accordance with school policy in dealing with complaints and in line with the Council’s requirements, values and aspirations.
The Regulations also stipulate that schools need to report the receipt of written complaints submitted by parents or teachers within 24 hours of receipt, the commission shall then examine such complaints and respond accordingly in writing either by mail or e-mail within 10 working days, and the school should document the minutes of the meetings between Committee members and plaintiff parties, whether parents or teachers and submit those meetings to the Council if the need arises. The school must provide the Council with the Chairman’s name and contact details.
The school is also to form a permanent committee to be called ‘the School Development Committee’ which will be responsible for the preparation of the school development annual plan, and any other plan resulting of an order of development following school inspection by the Council. The committee includes members of the Board of Trustees, school leaders and faculty, it may include in its membership representatives of parents and students. It raises the development plans to the Council for approval.
The committee oversees the school development and the progress made with regard to key performance indicators agreed upon and set forth in the development plan, and the school is to submit the name and contact details of the school development committee chairman to the Council.
-Agencies