STRATEGIES FOR EDUCATION REFORM

Global education reform, over the last few decades, has largely been driven by the spread of globalisation and the evolution from the Industrial Age to the Information Age, as governments have sought to develop internationally competitive human capital for knowledge-based economies. Governments no longer consider national achievements in isolation, but rather relative to the rest of the world, which is illustrated in the education sector by the widespread endorsement of the Programme of International Student Assessment. Published research indicates that education reform is a journey, and economic advancement and education reform have historically gone hand in hand. Furthermore, there are strategies that consistently feature in the reform journeys of those that have succeeded in building a world-class 21st century education system. This article sets out Abu Dhabi's private education reform journey, through the development and implementation of specific strategies to address these challenges and achieve the government's ambitious vision, within an autonomous and diverse private education system.