History edit
Until the early 20th century, education in Abu Dhabi followed the traditional Islamic models of education, starting with Madrasahs and Qur'anic schools at a young age, which focused on giving the students basic skills of reading and writing, along with basic religious studies, which focused on memorization of the Qur'an and Hadith literature, along with giving the students the basics of Islamic belief and practices. For Higher Education, especially gifted students could continue their studies at the حلقات علمية, religious Islamic schools that taught Islamic Theology, Law and Jurisprudence. These schools of higher education were geared primarily towards producing Islamic religious scholars. https://books.google.co.il/books?id=S_j5AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE+%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85+%D9%81%D9%8A+%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%88+%D8%B8%D8%A8%D9%8A&source=bl&ots=n3hAE6lw67&hl=iw&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQmsj6rq_qAhWTh1wKHdd3B7oQ6AEwBHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%AE%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85%20%D9%81%D9%8A%20%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%88%20%D8%B8%D8%A8%D9%8A&f=false [1]
A major change occurred in the educational system in Abu Dhabi with the opening of the first semi-governmental, modern-style school in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Al Otaiba school (also known as the "Ibn Otaiba school" and the "Ibn Khalaf school). The founding of modern-style schools in Abu Dhabi followed the earlier schools founded in Sharja and Dubai, such as the Taymiyyah-Mahmoudiyya (https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AD%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9) and Ahmadiyya schools (https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AD%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9_(%D8%AF%D8%A8%D9%8A)). In both cases, the new schools were founded by local wealthy merchants who had made their fortune through the pearl trade. In the case of Abu Dhabi, this was Khalaf Al Otaiba, a local pearl merchant from the Al Otaiba family.
Details regarding the precise date and circumstances of the founding of this school are unclear and rely primarily on eye-witness accounts and oral tradition. Dates of its founding range from 1911 to 1930. http://www.alkhaleej.ae/supplements/page/82420f67-e5d5-46b9-998c-3f26a3498ef0 Some say it was founded in 1912, while others place its founding year even earlier, in 1903.[2] The first teacher in this school is reported as one Abd al-Latif Mubarak
The Abu Dhabi Education Council was established by the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on the 10th of September 2005, through Law No. 24 of that year. In September 2017, the Council's name was changed to "the Department of Education and Knowledge" by Royal Decree. Subsequently, in 2018, Law No. 9 was passed, declaring the establishment of the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) as a replacement of the Abu Dhabi Education Council.[3]
According to the website of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, its five strategic priorities in relation to education in Abu Dhabi are:
- To build an attractive education environment in Abu Dhabi and transform it in an regional and international education hub.
- To enhance the quality of education outcomes in all levels and for all learners.
- To enhance alignment of education outcomes to meet Abu Dhabi labor market needs and socio-economic priorities, which would boost the prosperity of the emirate.
- To provide distinctive and appropriate opportunities for all learners to access education services.
- To contribute in achieving the national agenda for sciences, technology, and innovation through developing an efficient and effective ecosystem of education research.[4]
Best Indian schools in Abu Dhabi: https://www.bayut.com/mybayut/ar/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B8%D8%A8%D9%8A/
Best International schools in Abu Dhabi: https://www.bayut.com/mybayut/ar/%D9%85%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B8%D8%A8%D9%8A/
Registry of Private Schools in Abu Dhabi: http://votewan.com/ar/polls-ar/viewpoll/19-best-school-in-abudhabi-uae-ar https://www.tamm.abudhabi/en/aspects-of-life/educationtraining/schools/EducationDevelopment/education-system-in-abu-dhabi
History of Education in the Emirates as a whole: https://educationinuae02.wordpress.com/ , https://sites.google.com/site/uaeit12/uae-1 , https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%85_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A9