Knowledge and Human Development Authority: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:55, 14 October 2019

Revision as of 19:13, 3 November 2019

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{{Infobox Governmentgovernment agency

{{Infobox Government agency

|agency_name = <small>Emirate of Dubai</small> <br> Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)

|nativename = <big>'''هيئة المعرفة والتنمية البشرية'''</big>

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|chief2_position = Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors

|chief3_name =

|chief3_position =

|Vision = Lifelong learning to fulfil Dubai’s aspirations.

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}}

The '''Knowledge and Human Development Authority''' ('''KHDA''') is the educational [[quality assurance]] and regulatory authority of the Government of [[Dubai]], [[United Arab Emirates]]. It oversees the private education sector in Dubai, including early childhood education centres, schools, higher education providers, and training institutes. KHDA is responsible for the growth and quality of private education in Dubai.

KHDA was established by decree in 2006, under the directive of HH Sheikh [[Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum]] (Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and the Ruler of Dubai), with the aim of developing the education and human resource sectors in the Dubai emirate to the level of international standards and best practice.<ref>[http://www.khda.gov.ae/en/AboutUs/AboutKHDA.aspx About KDHA], Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai.</ref>

In the last 10 years, the number of students attending schools rated 'Good' or better has more than doubled - from 30% in 2008/09 to 66% in the 2017/18 academic year. Likewise the number of Emirati students attending schools rated 'Good' or better has increased significantly, from 26% in 2008/09, to 62% in 2017/18.

KHDA's current priorities focus on increasing the number of expatriate and Emirati students attending high-quality schools, and to integrate wellbeing into the concepts and processes that define education in Dubai. It works with its local education community as well as international partners to promote [[positive education]] within all schools and universities in Dubai. KHDA believes the purpose of education is to prepare students for the tests of life, not just a life of tests. Positive education practices promote essential life skills and personal attributes alongside academic achievement. Qualities such as [[Psychological resilience|resilience]], creativity, optimism, collaboration and [[empathy]] are recognised as essential for students to have in order to lead meaningful lives that will enable them to flourish.

{| class="wikitable"

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[https://www.khda.gov.ae/Areas/Administration/Content/FileUploads/Publication/Documents/English/20180624082407_DubaiEducationLandscape2018_Eng.pdf Data]

==Areas of Authority==

==Early Childhood Education Centres==

Early childhood centers or nurseries should follow certain guidelines set by the local Ministry of Social Affairs. There are over 120 child care centers registered in Dubai. KHDA offers a method to help parents [https://www.khda.gov.ae/en/howtochoseanursery how to choose a nursery] wisely. In KHDA’sKHDA's webpage, there are three steps that parents should consider when choosing a nursery. Firstly, the curriculum and learning approach of the center, whether it be through the languages spoken or the methods used to teach the children. Secondly, the quality of provision, and that comes within caring and nurturing the child. Lastly, the environment, as to how many people are monitoring the children and making sure they are safe.

==Schools==

The Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB), a part of the KHDA, is a group of inspectors who assess the schools in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Inspectors use a six-point scale to express their judgements. The four levels on the scale are defined as follows:

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# '''Good''' - The minimum level of acceptability required for Dubai. All key aspects of performance and practice in every school should meet or exceed this level.

# '''Weak''' - Quality not yet at the level acceptable for schools in Dubai. Schools will be expected to take urgent measures to improve the quality of any aspect of their performance or practice that is judged at this level.

# '''Very Weak''' - the measures to protect and safeguard students are not founded.

'''''What are schools assessed on?'''''

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* cultural studies

* civic studies.

KHDA will be assessing the school's Moral Education's provision with the curriculum, teaching style, and parents. Moral Education is entitled with UAE's moral values which seeks to help in the student's personal development and growth. It is to emphasize on the importance of students' behavior to ensure affective domains.

[[File:KHDA 9909.jpg|thumb]]

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KHDA launched a new legally binding initiative outlining the rights and responsibilities of both parents and schools in June 2013. [http://www.dubaichronicle.com/2013/06/16/as-proper-business-establishments-dubai-private-schools-will-be-bonded-to-their-customers-by-contracts/ As proper business establishments, Dubai private schools will be bonded to their customers by School Parent Contract]. The first schools to introduce the contracts at the start of the 2013/2014 academic year will be Dubai Modern Education School, Al Ittihad Private School – Al Mamzar, Al Ittihad Private School – Jumeirah, School of Modern Skills, Greenwood International School and American Academy in Al Mizhar.

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[https://www.khda.gov.ae/Areas/Administration/Content/FileUploads/Publication/Documents/English/20180507174427_KeyFindings_2008-2018_en.pdf Report]

==Higher Education / Universities==

Dubai has encouraged the establishment of international university branch campuses (HEP Branches), whose home-base campuses (HEP Home) are located outside the country, to provide high quality international degrees to its citizens and expatriate residents. HEP Branches are located across several Free Zones which allow 100% foreign ownership in tax-free environments.

Clarification of the different types of HEPs operating in Dubai, is necessary to understand the higher education landscape. HEPs in Dubai can be located either in- or outside a Free Zone. Three main types of HEPs operate in the Emirate: HEP Branch, HEP Local and HEP Federal.

==Training Institutions==

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==KHDA Initiatives==

==What Works==

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In 2016, the KHDA the Abundance Group project, which invited high-achieving schools in Dubai to share their learning with others to help improve the quality of all schools in Dubai.

Schools rated Very Good or Good during annual inspections were offered the option of a differentiated inspection based on self-evaluation, allowing them to focus their resources on giving back to other schools.

Sixteen Outstanding-rated schools participated in the project, offering workshops and training for teachers and senior leaders from schools rated Acceptable or lower during the project’sproject's first year, with partnerships continuing since.

==Dubai Student Wellbeing Census==

Dubai’sDubai's vision to be one of the happiest cities in the world by 2021 has pushed forward KHDA to investigate students’ satisfaction. KHDA has partnered with the [[Department for Education (South Australia)|Department of Education and Child Development]] of South Australia to deliver a five-year project to measure students’ wellbeing. It was first conducted in November 2017, asking around 65,000 students across 168 schools about their happiness, relationships, lifestyle, among other questions.

The results of the Census said that the three main contributing factors to a student’sstudent's wellbeing is a good breakfast, good night’snight's sleep, and good relationships with adults. Furthermore, according to the data:

* 84% of students are happy most of the time

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* 76% of students enjoy close friendships

[https://www.khda.gov.ae/Areas/Administration/Content/FileUploads/Publication/Documents/English/20180218150520_WellbeingCensus_2017Results.pdf Report]

==Lighthouse==

KHDA’sKHDA's strategy to improve the quality of education starts with the principals. The formation of Lighthouse is to provide a platform for principals to share ideas with one another that will help in the development of all schools in Dubai. Each year, there is a theme that is discussed among the school leaders. An example would be of this year’syear's theme: proposing a research explaining different methods to enhance students’ wellbeing.

==Living Arabic==

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==Teachers of Dubai==

Inspired by [[Humans of New York]], Teachers of Dubai was established in 2015 on social media platforms to appreciate the effort of teachers. Through that, they are given a chance to share their stories online. It has left a positive impact on all those who shared their stories and helped strengthen the connection teachers have with their students.

==IPEN in Dubai==

KHDA’sKHDA's partnership with International Positive Education Network is to encourage improvement in not only academics but also character building. KHDA was invited to showcase private school sector in the Festival of Positive Education. KHDA’sKHDA's team along with “Happiness Ambassadors” (school teachers), traveled to Dallas to attend festival. The festival brought together educational providers and psychologists to help foster positive education in schools all around the world. KHDA hopes to build upon the integration of positive education in schools as it will induce a happy outcome for students, teachers, and parents with https://www.khda.gov.ae/en/ipen.<ref>{{cite web |title=IPEN |url=https://www.khda.gov.ae/en/ipen |website=khda.gov.ae}}</ref>.

==Dubai Saturday Clubs and Hatta Wellbeing Camp==

The initiation of Dubai Saturday Clubs is inspired by Sorrell’sSorrell's Foundation [http://www.thesorrellfoundation.com/programme/national-saturday-clubs/ National Saturday Club]. KHDA offered a programme along with social entrepreneurs especially to enhance students’ wellbeing by creating meaningful community projects. It has brought together students of different schools to work with one another and promoted meaningful skills.

KHDA concentrates on students’ wellbeing as much as it does on their perseverance of the highest quality of education. The Hatta Wellbeing Camp is an overnight excursion for students’ of different schools. It offers an exceptional time for students to reconnect with nature through physical activities.

==Rahhal==

Rahhal is part of 10x<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dubai10x.ae/|title=Dubai 10X - An Initiative of the Dubai Future Foundation|website=Dubai 10X - An Initiative of Dubai Future Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-09}}</ref> – a Dubai Future Foundation<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dubaifuture.gov.ae/|title=Dubai Future Foundation - Welcome To The Future|website=Dubai Future Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-09}}</ref> initiative to take Dubai ten years into the future – in just two years. Meaning traveller in Arabic, the message of ''Rahhal'' is simple: the world is a classroom, and all learning counts. Rahhal is a fully customisable platform that will help turn anyone, and any organisation, into a learning provider, and turn all Dubai residents into lifelong learners.  It will be a conduit that harnesses the community’scommunity's knowledge and skills and channels it to each individual learner. All learning on the platform will be given the stamp of approval by Dubai government. Rahhal provides a creative and innovative alternative to mainstream education – an alternative that brings out the best from within the community and recognises learning wherever it occurs. It is a platform that helps to integrate learning with life, and life with learning.

By providing a supportive regulatory environment, ''Rahhal'' will enhance learning opportunities for all members of the community, whether they’re children or adults. It will support learners with special education needs as well as those with special gifts and talents; it will diversify the choices for parents who wish to supplement their children’s education; and it will provide adults with a flexible, modular form of learning that can be used to further their careers or enrich their lives. KHDA is currently working with parents, schools, government bodies and private organisations to bring ''Rahhal'' to life, united by a grand vision and a common purpose. Rahhal is currently in pilot phase and will be made available to a greater number of learners in the months.

By providing a supportive regulatory environment, ''Rahhal'' will enhance learning opportunities for all members of the community, whether they’rethey're children or adults. It will support learners with special education needs as well as those with special gifts and talents; it will diversify the choices for parents who wish to supplement their children’schildren's education; and it will provide adults with a flexible, modular form of learning that can be used to further their careers or enrich their lives. KHDA is currently working with parents, schools, government bodies and private organisations to bring ''Rahhal'' to life, united by a grand vision and a common purpose. Rahhal is currently in pilot phase and will be made available to a greater number of learners in the months.

==KHDA Work Environment==

==KHDA Work Environment==

==5 Ways of Wellbeing==

In 2014, KHDA implemented the evidence-based '5 Ways to Wellbeing'<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nefconsulting.com/our-services/strategy-culture-change/five-ways-to-wellbeing/|title=Five Ways to Wellbeing}}</ref> - developed by [[Nic Marks]] at the [[New Economics Foundation]] - into its processes and physical environment. These '5 Ways' - Keep Learning, Give, Take Notice, Connect, and Be Active positive changes at the workplace. To motivate the employees to '''"Keep Learning"''', KHDA has opened up a library to promote reading. It has also hosted talks from national and international speakers, and funded training programs for employees to attend of their choice.

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To facilitate '''‘Be Active’''' KHDA integrated a fully functioning gym into the workspace. A 300-metre running track around the perimeter of the office served as the warm-up for daily fitness sessions before and after work. A boxing ring helped employees release stress, while a yoga room with daily classes helped to channel it more positively. KHDA regularly began participating in races and obstacle races such as the Desert Warrior Challenge and the Spartan Race. Our first participation in this type of event included a team of 10 colleagues – all committed to exercise and fitness.

<br>

KHDA's working practices, too, nurtured greater happiness in the people. Mothers with young children were able to spend less time at work and more time at home; an on-site nursery allowed parents to stay near their children while they were at the office; flexible hours and working from home were options available to our team, depending on the type of work they did.

[[File:KHD8690.jpg|thumb|Be Active]]

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==Self-management==

As soon as the 5 ways of well-being have successfully embedded into KHDA's culture, it is time to introduce a new self-management system. [https://www.holacracy.org/ Holacracy] is all about forgetting the typical management hierarchy. It is to focus on sharing skill sets, working on projects unrelated to the job description, and relying on team members to create with passion. Holacracy is a fluid organisational system that integrates employees of different departments to work with another for progress, autonomy, and self-development.

==References==

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<ref>{{cite web |title=Key Findings: Inspection |url=https://www.khda.gov.ae/Areas/Administration/Content/FileUploads/Publication/Documents/English/20180507174427_KeyFindings_2008-2018_en.pdf |website=KHDA}}</ref>

<ref>{{cite web |title=Wellbeing Census |url=https://www.khda.gov.ae/Areas/Administration/Content/FileUploads/Publication/Documents/English/20180218150520_WellbeingCensus_2017Results.pdf |website=KHDA}}</ref>

[[Category:Organizations established in 2006]]

[[Category:Organisations based in Dubai]]