Teacher qualifications a problem

Surveys of Dubai teachers conducted by TIMSS suggest that teacher qualification remains a serious problem in the Emirates, according to a visiting researcher. In the findings Mike Helal presented to education stakeholders, including officials from the KHDA, he found that primary-school teachers in Dubai have substantially less experience than those abroad. Five times as many students in Dubai are taught by teachers who did not graduate in education than the international average. Only one per cent of Grade 4 maths and science teachers in Dubai have master's or higher degrees, according to the research.

"An educational system is only as good as the quality of the teachers that are in it," Mr Helal said. "If teachers are not going to have qualifications as high as their colleagues around the world, then Dubai's results cannot improve. It is absolutely vital to have teachers who have qualifications in education." Mr Helal said the Ministry of Education would struggle to improve performance until it puts a system in place that demands higher standards for teachers. He recommended introducing a teacher licensing system.

Mr Helal said the ministry also had to address the salary scale for state-school teachers. "Salaries at the moment are not attracting the top talent. They need to be improved to be competitive with other professions." The ministry announced plans for a teacher certification scheme in August, but it has yet to release criteria for teacher licensing, and the certification has not begun. [e-mail]