10 new assessments for school students in Abu Dhabi

The Department of Education and Knowledge – Abu Dhabi has adopted 10 types of assessments to measure students’ learning, achievements, and skills development, including seven internal assessments and three external assessments.

The new assessments, a copy of which was obtained by Emirates Today, are part of the new education development policy that began to be implemented at the beginning of the 2024-2025 academic year. The department expected that schools would be fully compliant with the policy by the 2025-2026 academic year.

In detail, the department confirmed that evaluations are one of the most prominent means used in developing education, as they contribute to building a culture based on the use of data and evidence to evaluate and improve the performance of students, employees, and schools, as unifying evaluation data in a multicultural school environment allows for the possibility of establishing a common base to bring about change, noting. This policy specifies the basic requirements for creating a culture of evaluation within schools.

The department identified 11 purposes for the new policy, including setting expectations related to evaluation, most notably: assessing, measuring, and analyzing students’ academic readiness, their progress in learning, their acquisition of skills, their values/attitudes, and their educational needs, and identifying high-quality internal and external evaluation methods that rely on data in decision-making processes. Decisions to guide the educational and learning process and enhance the level of student achievement, and clarify the external assessments required by the Department of Education and Knowledge that must be implemented and used as evidence of the progress and achievement of students in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in addition to the obligation to analyze, follow up and distribute assessment data to concerned parties and partners.

The department stressed the necessity of implementing internal and external evaluations to continuously improve the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process and students’ educational outcomes, and applying them at all educational levels in schools (from kindergarten to grade 12), and determining the evaluation methods that will be used, taking into account age and stage of study, and harmonization with ensuring Quality, and the implementation of external evaluations imposed by the Department of Education and Knowledge, in addition to focusing on achieving the school’s international evaluation goals.

She also stressed the necessity of providing facilities and modifications for assessments of students with additional educational needs in accordance with their individual needs, adhering to sustainable assessment practices, promoting the culture of assessment and best practices with the full participation of the school community, and schools implementing cognitive assessments chosen by the school for students in grades three through nine. Analyze and use internal and external assessment data to develop interventions and plan to provide support for students with additional educational needs, in addition to including all areas identified in the rest of this policy.

Internal evaluations

The department obligated schools to apply various types of internal assessments, as necessary, or as appropriate to the curriculum, age, purpose, and needs. The types of internal assessments include a cognitive assessment used to evaluate the student’s ability to think and reason in general, and a diagnostic assessment used to determine the students’ strengths and weaknesses, in addition to To their knowledge and skills, and assess placement to direct students to appropriate academic courses or programmes. Assessment is conducted before the start of the course or program to match students to appropriate educational experiences.

Internal assessments included a screening assessment to determine whether students need specialized assistance, interventions, or services or whether they are ready to begin an academic course or program, and it takes various forms (such as developmental, physical, cognitive, or academic), and pre-assessment. It is used to establish a baseline against which teachers measure learning progress over the course of a course or program. Evaluation is conducted before students begin a unit, course, or academic program. Formative assessment is used as periodic evaluations to provide teachers with immediate feedback about student learning, which enables them to modify methods. Education, resources, and academic support, in addition to the final assessment that is used to evaluate student learning at the end of a unit, course, semester, program, or academic year. Final assessments are usually recorded and graded to determine whether students have learned what they are expected to learn during the specified educational period.

External evaluations

The Department emphasized that schools should implement different forms of external assessments as necessary or appropriate to the curriculum, grade, purpose and needs. Types of external assessments include standardized standardized assessments (SBA) such as NWEA- MAP, GL-PTs, Ei-ASSET, ACER- IBT Growth is developed by an external assessment provider, is held annually, and is used to determine student achievement and progress. It is mandatory based on the curriculum, and international assessments such as: Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), Trends in International Mathematics and Science (TIMSS), and the World Reading Progress International Study developed by external assessment providers, are held periodically (PIRLS) and are used to compare… Student performance at the local and international levels.

She pointed out that the third type of external assessments is specific to international testing council exams (and other pre-college tests), which are formally designed and quality-assured assessments that are evaluated by a testing committee or an independent organization, such as the English Conversational Learning Test (ACT) and Advanced Placement Courses (AP). ), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Emirates Standardized Test (EMSAT), the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, the International Baccalaureate Career Program (IB DP/IB CP), the high school diploma, and the SAT tests, noting that these evaluations A form of great importance that confirms the completion of a high school diploma or is considered a prerequisite to enhance the chances of university admission.

International exam boards exams

The Department of Education and Knowledge has confirmed that schools must register all students who qualify for international testing council exams, as necessary, to obtain a high school equivalency in accordance with the latest ministerial decision regarding the school certificate equivalency system, and encourage students with outstanding performance to apply for the highest levels in international testing council exams. Communicate with parents and involve them in the process to encourage students to take this option.

She pointed out the need for schools to document the communication, recommendations, and final decision taken by the student and his guardians. Schools are allowed to collect fees from parents for the international testing council exams in which the student registers, with schools committing to publish the fees for the council exams on their website according to the price quote provided by the service provider. In that year, schools can also charge administrative fees in accordance with the policy of the Department of Education and Knowledge for fees in schools.