Abu Dhabi private schools to display performance ratings - What every parent needs to know

Zawya

16-06-2025

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: In a landmark initiative to enhance transparency and strengthen community engagement, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has introduced official School Performance Plaques that will be prominently displayed at the entrances of every private school in the emirate.
The plaques will reflect each school's latest Irtiqa'a inspection rating and National Identity Mark, serving as a clear and visible reference for parents, students, and school visitors. This step reinforces ADEK's commitment to raising education standards and empowering parents with meaningful insights into their child's learning environment.
'These plaques represent more than just a rating — they reflect a school's commitment to academic excellence and to nurturing a strong sense of national identity in our students,' said Sulaiman Al Ameri, Acting Private Education and Charter Schools Sector Executive Director at ADEK. 'By making performance outcomes visible, we're encouraging continuous improvement and giving parents a transparent, at-a-glance understanding of school quality.'
The plaques showcase two key indicators of school quality:
Irtiqaa Rating – an inspection framework that evaluates school performance across six core areas: student achievement, personal and social development, teaching and assessment, curriculum quality, student care and wellbeing, and leadership effectiveness.
National Identity Mark – A measure of how well schools embed and promote national culture, values, and citizenship within their educational environment.
In the future, the School Performance Plaques will also feature the Wellbeing Mark, reflecting schools' related efforts in nurturing and positively impacting students' and teachers' social, emotional and physical wellbeing.
The initiative aligns with ADEK's broader efforts to create a world-class education ecosystem in Abu Dhabi, where informed decision-making by families is a pillar of success.
Parents are encouraged to look for the plaques when visiting schools and explore more about the Irtiqa'a and National Identity frameworks on the ADEK website or its parent app – Rayah.
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For more information, visit adek.gov.ae or follow ADEK on social media:
About Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK)
The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is the Education Sector regulator across the Emirate. It oversees and provides services throughout a learner's journey from early education to university and beyond. It also champions inclusivity for People of Determination in the mainstream schooling system and by providing specialized schools.
Across Early Childhood and K-12, ADEK licenses and regulates nurseries and private schools in Abu Dhabi while also legislating, mandating, and managing its own Charter Schools and 2 schools for People of Determination.
ADEK also annually provides distinguished Abu Dhabi students with full scholarships and support to study at the best universities around the world. In addition, the Department audits and enhances the delivery of Higher Education in Abu Dhabi, attracting Higher Education Institutions to open the required Program or schools that serve Abu Dhabi's needs while championing a student and faculty-friendly ecosystem in the Emirate.
With a vision to Empower Education. Empower Minds. Empower the Future, ADEK recognizes that every learner is different, and a diversity of teaching methods are essential for students to succeed. To that effect, ADEK partners with stakeholders to enable a great education system to flourish in Abu Dhabi and nurture future-ready graduates who have the 21st-century skills required to sustain and carry forward Abu Dhabi's vision.