Page 58 - February EW 2024 PDF

Cover Story

Societal expectation from
schools and independent assess-
ment. Educating the next generation
is a societal responsibility. The gov-
ernment and private organisations
run schools. This is a critical service
but also one where there is a heavy re-
sponsibility to society. Parents should
have adequate and relevant informa-
tion when they are choosing schools
for their children. They should not
have to rely on word-of-mouth infor-
mation from friends or publicity bro-
chures and/or school websites. There-
fore, parents should carefully study
school ranking surveys in the media
including the annual EducationWorld
India School Rankings.
The next question that arises is Sheikh Maktoum of Dubai at KHDA school: remarkable PISA ranking improvement
how do we demand quality from our
schools. Just as we expect pharmaceu- high academic outcomes so that chil- Admittedly, Dubai — and even the
tical and consumer product compa- dren can be successful in their adult UAE as a whole — is very small com-
nies to be accountable for the quality careers and life. This can be done by pared to India. But the process they
of their products and have specialised measuring students’ learning progress use is highly scalable and applicable
agencies that periodically check if through assessment. Note the best to large countries as well. Dubai has
quality standards are being met, we metric of assessment is not of student less than 300 private schools that are
need a quality check for schools. learning — the marks awarded in their tracked by the Knowledge and Human
However, it’s important that such individual report cards — but of their Development Agency (KHDA). KHDA
quality checks are conducted in a contribution to the performance of the identifies and empanels high quality
constructive, supportive spirit. Qual- whole school. Unlike many countries partners including Educational Ini-
ity controls are only partly an audit of that require schools to be officially tiatives who with its proprietorial
schools. They are also a valuable tool assessed, in India we have no such programmes (ASSET, ACER, GL As-
for them to improve, become more requirement. Moreover, we have re- sessment) understands student learn-
equitable and provide higher quality peatedly opted out of international ing and assessment. It mandates all its
education to their students. tests like PISA (Programme for Inter- schools to choose a partner and un-
T RADITIONALLY, QUAL- provides feedback to the public on ner. The partner provides feedback to
national Student Assessment) which
dergo annual assessment by that part-
the school as well as the government
how their country’s education system
ITY has been measured
in terms of input metrics
— such as a school’s in- is performing compared to others. on the school’s strengths and weak-
nesses. Next, the school is required
Most countries require their
frastructure and qualifications of its schools to be inspected and assessed to devise a School Development Plan
teachers. While these are important, at regular intervals. In this connec- based on the assessment and receives
what really matters are learning out- tion, how the United Arab Emirates a rating which is publicly shared.
comes and holistic education that (UAE), specifically Dubai, have been Conversations with leaders of
children receive. There isn’t a clear assessing schools for the past decade these schools indicate that many of
relationship between input and out- or so, provides an interesting case them have also worked in India. The
put metrics. Therefore, the focus to- study for three reasons. First, there consensus is that while this process
day has shifted to outcome metrics. are a large number of Indian schools exerts some pressure on school man-
These include academic as well as affiliated with the CBSE and CISCE agements, it is positive pressure as
socio-emotional and other outcomes. exam boards there. Second, a sizeable teachers improve, the school improves
This feature is focused on academic proportion of students and teachers and students are the ultimate benefi-
outcomes because they are easier to are of Indian origin. Third, Dubai has ciaries. In the UAE, school manage-
measure. But the same principles ap- shown remarkable improvement, rais- ments have wide autonomy, but they
ply to other outcomes as well. ing its rank in the PISA test from #50 are answerable for the quality of learn-
We want all schools to achieve in 2009 to #19 in 2019. ing they provide.

58 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2024