(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Fewer teachers and principals in Abu Dhabi expressed job satisfaction compared to their peers abroad, the latest Teaching and Learning International Survey (Talis) has revealed.
According to the survey, 88.9 per cent of teachers and 92.2 per cent of principals in Abu Dhabi were satisfied with their jobs compared to other Talis respondents (91.1 per cent teachers and 95.6 principals).
The survey, which was carried out by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), focuses on the working conditions of teachers and the learning environments in schools.
The Talis was conducted in mid-2013 and saw the participation of 34 OECD countries and economies including Australia, Canada, UK, US, Italy, Japan and the UAE (Abu Dhabi). Abu Dhabi, through efforts by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), is the first and only Arab city to participate in the Talis.
When it comes to influencing their students to value learning and think critically, teachers here believe they do better (95.4 and 93.1 per cent, respectively) compared to their counterparts abroad (80.7 and 80.3 per cent, respectively). They also believe that teaching profession is valued in society (66.5 per cent) compared to other respondents (30.9 per cent).
The survey targets lower secondary teachers and their school leaders in mainstream public and private schools. In each country, a representative sample of 20 teachers and school principals from 200 schools were randomly selected for the study. Approximately 106,000 lower secondary teachers responded to the survey.
"We are delighted to be the first Arab country to participate in Talis and are confident that this initiative will further improve the council's strategic planning in teaching and learning," said Adec Director-General Dr Amal Al Qubaisi.
Professor Masood Badri, Head of Research at the Adec, said recruiting, retaining and developing teachers is a priority in school systems worldwide. Talis examines the ways in which a teacher's work is recognised, appraised and rewarded, while assessing the degree to which a teacher's professional development needs are being met.
Talis results showed that 92 per cent of lower secondary teachers in Abu Dhabi undertook professional development in the 12 months prior to the survey. A larger proportion also reported having taken part in a formal induction programme compared to most other Talis countries (70.9 per cent).
On teaching practices, teachers in Abu Dhabi reported spending 77 per cent of their lesson time on actual teaching and learning, while 21 per cent was spent on administrative tasks (eight per cent) and keeping order in the classroom (13 per cent). They spend more hours per week teaching (21.2 hours), and marking and correcting work (5.4 hours) compared to other Talis countries (19 and five hours, respectively).
According to Dr Al Qubaisi, the teachers' responses in the survey will help decision-making and set effective targets for improvement. "These benchmarks will support the Adec in responding to national or international performance indicators through setting new standards if deemed necessary."
The survey showed that the typical teacher in lower secondary education in Abu Dhabi are on average younger (38.7 years) than in most Talis countries (42.9 years), having 13 years of teaching experience.
The proportion of female principals is similar to the proportion of female teachers (61 and 59 per cent, respectively). Principals in Abu Dhabi are on average younger (49.4 years) than in most other Talis countries at 51.5 years with 11 years of experience (8.9 years in other Talis countries). Principals here believe that the teaching profession is valued in society (70.7 per cent) while only 44 per cent of their counterparts abroad share this view.
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