Muscat: The national system for evaluating school performance will be launched on December 2, according to Dr. Jokha Al Shukaili, CEO of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education (OAAAQA).
Speaking on Tuesday at a press conference, she said that the schools with low performance ratings will be notified of the evaluation results and and will get support to improve their status.
The national system will be launched in the presence of His Highness Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham bin Tariq al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth, on December 2, 2024, at the Kempinski Hotel, Muscat.
The system aligns with the authority’s mandates and responsibilities, as outlined in Royal Decree No. 9/2021, establishing the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education to assure the quality of school and higher education in Oman, ensuring it consistently meets international standards, and encouraging educational institutions to build their own internal quality assurance systems.
Dr. Jokha stated that the launch of this national system is part of a comprehensive strategy to enhance the efficiency of both public and private school education institutions through rigorous review processes and comprehensive reports and it aims to improve school performance by adhering to a set of standards and indicators.
She emphasized that the authority has developed these standards to align with national goals and visions, the skills required by the labor market, and the continuous changes in the educational landscape.
Dr. Jokha also explained the system has been developed after extensive building, testing, and reviewing phases, which include document analysis and in-depth study of related local and international practices.
The system was also tested in various schools to ensure it is suitable and effective for the reality of schools in Oman.
Dr. Thuraya bint Saif al Hosniyah, Director General of the Centre for School Education Quality Assurance, explained that the new system will bring a qualitative shift in the performance of schools in Oman, enabling them to continuously enhance their performance.
This progress will be supported by supervisory bodies providing the necessary technical and operational support.
She outlined that the evaluation process includes on-site visits by expert reviewers, accompanied by the preparation of detailed reports that identify strengths and areas for improvement, providing evidence-based insights into each school’s performance. These evaluations aim to help schools and supervisory bodies create effective strategic improvement plans based on the School Evaluation Framework.
The system aims to build sustainable partnerships with the Ministry of Education and related entities, fostering an integrated approach that enhances the quality of education in Oman.
The Director General added that the authority is keen on collaborating with international and regional institutions to facilitate experience-sharing that contributes to educational improvement and sustainable excellence.
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