DUBAI: As part of its commitment to ensuring that every Emirati student in Dubai has access to high-quality education, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has launched Excel Anywhere – one of the Game Changer initiatives under the Education 33 strategy, which was recently announced by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai.
According to Emirates News Agency, the E33 strategy is a transformative vision for education in Dubai. It signifies a shift in Dubai’s education ecosystem from a traditional, institution-centric model to one that is learner-centric, adapting to every individual’s needs and aspirations. Twenty-eight Game Changer initiatives will be rolled out in several phases over the next decade to support the E33 goals, redefine educational experiences and outcomes, and foster innovation and excellence across all levels of education. Excel Anyw
here is designed to raise the quality of education for Emirati students across the emirate through tailored support and data-driven interventions to ensure they have the support needed to excel.
In line with this goal, the first phase of Excel Anywhere is a targeted school improvement programme focused on raising the standards of schools that have a large number of Emirati students enrolled. Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA, remarked on the importance of this initiative, stating that empowering Emiratis with high-quality education, enhancing their educational achievements, and embedding Emirati values are key goals of the Education 33 strategy.
Seven schools have signed on for the first phase of the school improvement programme, including Dubai Schools Al Barsha, Dubai Schools Al Khawaneej, School of Modern Skills Dubai, GEMS Al Barsha National School, Emirates National Schools Dubai, Dubai Modern Education School, and The School of Research Science US High School. Collectively, these schools have 6,50
0 Emirati students enrolled. The programme aims to help these schools achieve a Good or better rating to enhance the educational experience for Emirati students and close the gap in academic performance in international assessments between Emirati and non-Emirati students.
Schools in the programme will receive targeted support from a dedicated team at KHDA, which will work with school leaders to implement customised improvement plans and track progress. Each school will be assigned an improvement partner and specialised support teams who will work on focus areas such as student achievement, school leadership and governance, parent engagement, literacy, and teaching standards. Fatima Bu Ali, the team lead for the school improvement programme at KHDA, emphasized the programme’s commitment to providing structured support to schools, equipping them with resources and expertise to reach new standards of excellence, and encouraging strong partnerships between schools and parents to support student success.
