Unusually high grades under investigation: Abu Dhabi plans to intensify examinations for grade inflation in schools
In a bid to maintain academic integrity and uphold educational standards, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has expanded its investigation and crackdown on grade inflation in private schools, now including Grades 9 to 11. This move comes after several schools were temporarily barred from enrolling new students in Grades 11 and 12 last month due to significant discrepancies between internal grades and external assessments and international benchmarks.
The purpose of this investigation is to address the issue of grade inflation, a pattern where student marks rise over time without a matching improvement in learning. This practice undermines the credibility and usefulness of grades for all stakeholders, including parents, educators, universities, and policymakers.
ADEK's approach is collaborative, working closely with school leadership teams to help them align with best practices and uphold their educational reputation. Each school has received a detailed compliance report highlighting required improvements, and timelines for corrective actions have been clearly communicated. Support is also provided through technical guidance, professional development, and open communication channels.
The ADEK School Policies set clear expectations on how schools should plan and deliver the curriculum, assess student learning, and support students in preparing for post-secondary pathways. Some institutions are now cross-referencing their predicted grades with external assessments like NGRT, Progress Tests, and Cambridge Checkpoint to ensure fairness and accuracy.
It's important to note that ADEK's goal is not to penalise, but to support continuous improvement across the sector. The regulator aims to ensure consistency and accuracy in assessment practices, not just in the higher grades but across all levels.
ADEK is intensifying its oversight and quality assurance to safeguard academic standards and protect the integrity of student grade reporting in Abu Dhabi’s private school sector. The department will conduct trend analysis in phase two to detect systemic issues early.
This initiative is the first phase of ADEK's compliance drive, triggered by routine quality assurance checks. The names of the schools involved have been withheld. Students currently enrolled in Grades 11 and 12 are not affected by the enrollment restrictions, which apply only to new admissions.
[1] Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) website: [Link to the official ADEK website] [2] ADEK press release: [Link to the official ADEK press release] [3] Gulf News article: [Link to the Gulf News article] [4] Khaleej Times article: [Link to the Khaleej Times article]
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