Are you being watched? If you teach in the UAE, you probably are!

Posted by & filed under All Subjects, Information Technology, International Education, Middle East, Politics.

There have been hints and rumours but finally, it’s been confirmed; the United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Education is planning to install a cutting-edge electronic system allowing them to monitor teachers’ performances in the classrooms. This is expected to impact over 525,000 Teachers across 34,000 Gulf schools. The technology is expected to improve communications between different education departments and the ministry which supports them.

 

The ministry is working alongside multiple top IT groups whom will install the system and that contracts concerning the technology have already been signed. The data recorded is being supported by the recent wave of high-speed internet services installed in schools as part of the ministry’s education strategy. It’s hoped that the new monitoring technology will help to instill discipline among teachers as well as driving an increased degree of learning among students.

 

Of course, this also has many teachers worried that they will be overly graded on their performance and that lenience will be a thing of the past. It’s not confirmed to what degree teachers will be monitored and if the system will help boost the quality of learning in schools at all. Furthermore, teachers whom fall short of targets set by the ministry or fail to hit minimum attendance metrics will have money deducted from their salaries. The system is due to be implemented through three stages over the next two years, starting at the new headquarters of the ministry in the first and covering all public schools in the last stage.

 

Do you think it is right for the ministry to monitor teachers to this degree? What benefits will it really confer on the Gulf region? Whatever the case, SeekTeachers places qualified teachers all across the United Arab Emirates, have a look at our job board now!

 

[Source: Zawya – E-monitoring: Unpunctual teachers face deductions]