Teach Middle East Magazine Sep - Dec 2020 Issue 1 Volume 8 | Page 18

Sharing Good Practice
CREATING A FIRST-RATE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE UAE:
WHAT THE CANADIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM GETS RIGHT
BY NIDA HUSSAIN
W
ith 2 years to go to the
golden jubilee of the
Union, the ambitious
goals outlined in the
UAE National Vision 2021 continue to
guide the strategic reforms and policy
agendas for government sectors and
entities in the UAE. Amongst the 6
national priorities identified by His
Highness is a focus on investment in
the nation’s youth and the creation of a
first-rate education system. With an eye
set on a leading spot amongst global
education rankings, the National Vision
pillar aptly titled First-Rate Education
System relies on a series of indicators
including student performance in core
subjects, teaching quality, enrolment
rates and uptake in early childhood
education, amongst others.
Recent TIIMS and PISA scores for
UAE students reveal that much work
remains to be done and certainly an
overhaul is needed in fundamental
areas, particularly if the goal is to move
up into a top 20 rank on the PISA index.
What will it take to see the UAE move
up in the ranking? What lessons can
they learn from countries like Canada
and others in the top 20.
Not only is teaching a highly
respected profession in Canada, but
the extensive education and training
required to enter the profession
means that the women and men
leading Canadian classrooms are
selectively recruited. Only half of
Canada’s universities offer teacher
education programs, and acceptance
into the 2 year education program
requires at minimum 3 preceding years
of undergraduate study in a related
field. Along with pedagogy, curriculum
design, and psychology of learning,
candidates in teachers education
programs must complete an 80 day in-
class practicum. Following successful
graduation, an extensive induction
program is a requirement, extending
up to a full year. The hands on teaching
experience with direct mentorship
from those already licensed and
Mar - Arp 2019
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Canadian teachers are also perpetual
learners. Professional development
course are routine and mandated
by each provincial teaching board.
Sharing of best practices is inherent
to the professional development
process, and regularly solicited
input from teachers, school leaders,
parents, and teachers in training
allows for training program design to
be informed and responsive to the
emerging needs of the classroom
locally and competitiveness globally.
Attractive
compensation
packages affirm the merits of high
professionalization. Canadian teachers
are amongst the highest paid in
OECD countries, and the stability and
growth trajectory of fair pay packages
naturally facilitates lower attrition from
the career path and promotes lifetime
job commitment and specialization at
individual level.
2. Small classroom sizes
mean equal access to quality
education
1. High quality teaching
through investment in teacher
training
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practicing means that teachers are
given ample opportunity to apply
theory and hone their craft prior to
being entrusted with leading a room
full of young minds.
Classroom sizes are small and kept
small. When a school is found to be
struggling in performance, the system
focuses on providing additional
resources, allowing for lower teacher
to student ratios to be maintained and
for a range of disciplines to be offered.
This in turn improves every student’s
chance to access individualised,
quality instruction.
In Canada, education is seen as a right.
Education is provincially mandated
and further delegated to regional
boards, provided to all citizens free
of cost from pre-primary through to
high school. This means all Canadians
have equal access to equal and quality
Class Time
education. A commitment to tolerance,
equality, and non-discrimination as
national culture further creates school
environments in which students of
all learning abilities and levels are
accommodated proactively. Inclusion
is not an exception but a rule.
3. Integration of 21st century
skills into all learning areas
from the earliest years
If there is one word to describe a
classroom in Canada, it’s holistic.
The interactive nature of instruction,
and the highly non-deferential
culture (anchored tightly to the
democratic culture of the country)
creates environments that are non-
competitive and encourage students
to explore, investigate, attempt, fail,
challenge, and ultimately, succeed.
Core subjects such as math, language
arts, and science are complemented
from the primary years with technical
and creative subjects such as graphic
design, woodworking, music and
art. 21st century skills have been
an continue to be a mainstay of the
Canadian classroom. Collaboration,
problem solving and creative thinking
accompany the mastery of content
in all subjects, making the classroom
a place to challenge concepts and
generate solutions. Learning thus
happens intuitively.
Nida is Head of Communications for Maple Bear Gulf Schools, a Canadian
international education company with over 350 schools across 17 countries.
Nida’s work focuses on promoting Canadian education approaches in the GCC
region. Her career experience includes roles in public policy and regulation with
the Canadian public service as well as non-formal education program design with
several international non-profits.