Dubai’s private schools continue to excel in international rankings, securing second place in financial literacy and sixth in creative thinking, according to a pioneering study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) under the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022.
PISA, conducted triennially, assesses the practical application of real-life skills in reading, mathematics, and science among 15-year-old students. The 2022 assessment also included financial literacy and creative thinking.
Dubai’s private schools ranked second among 20 participating cities and countries in financial literacy, scoring 522 points against the OECD global average of 498 points.
“We are immensely proud of our students and schools’ performance in these international assessments, which underscore Dubai’s reputation as a premier destination for high quality education” Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA
The results of the PISA 2022 study show that educational systems that excel in creative thinking also achieve high scores in mathematics, reading, and science, as illustrated by Dubai’s private schools’ performance. We are thankful to our schools, teachers, and parents for their role in preparing our students with future skills and raising the quality of education in Dubai.” Fatma Belrehif, CEO of the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau
Of the 4,478 students from Dubai who participated, 47% reported receiving financial management education as part of their school curriculum, while 53% acquired these skills through activities outside of school. Additionally, 82% of students indicated they knew how to manage their money, with 79% having savings goals. Over a quarter (27%) of the students had a bank account, and nearly a third (32%) possessed a credit or debit card.
In creative thinking, Dubai’s private schools ranked sixth out of 64 participating cities and countries, scoring 36 points compared to the OECD average of 33 points, with female students outperforming male students by four points.
A significant 84% of the 7,474 participating students from Dubai’s private schools performed at Level 3 or higher in creative thinking, surpassing the OECD average by 6%. Furthermore, 42% of Dubai students performed at Levels 5 and 6, compared to 40% in Australia, Finland, and New Zealand, and 45% in Canada and South Korea, against the OECD average of 27% for Levels 4 and 5.