Dubai has received accolades in international rankings, with its private schools excelling in global assessments. According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Dubai ranked second in financial literacy and sixth in creative thinking among participating schools worldwide.
Conducted every three years, the PISA evaluates the practical application of reading, mathematics, and science skills among 15-year-old students globally. In 2022, Dubai participated in additional domains focusing on financial literacy and creative thinking for the first time.
Creative thinking evaluates students' capacity to generate, assess, and refine ideas leading to innovative solutions, advancements in knowledge, and impactful creative expressions. In creative thinking, Dubai's private schools secured sixth place out of 64 participating countries and regions, scoring 36 points, above the OECD average of 33.
Financial literacy, as defined by the OECD, assesses students' understanding of financial concepts, ability to manage risks, and confidence in making informed financial decisions across different scenarios.
Dubai's private schools achieved notable rankings in these assessments: ranking second among 20 participating countries and regions for financial literacy with a score of 522 points (above the OECD global average of 498 points). Additionally, 82% of the 4,478 students surveyed demonstrated proficiency in money management, and 79% had savings goals.
Commenting on the results, Her Excellency Aisha Miran, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, said: “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 that equips students with future skills for a rapidly changing world."
Her Excellency Aisha Miran added, "We are grateful to all the school leaders who play an important role in motivating and inspiring teachers and students to improve their performance, to teachers who encourage students to develop their abilities and discover their potential, to parents who support and encourage their children to achieve their goals, and to students whose hard work and resilience brought about this remarkable result."
Dubai's private schools also achieved notable global rankings across key subjects. They ranked ninth worldwide in mathematics with an average score of 497, surpassing the OECD average by 25 points. In reading, Dubai schools secured the 13th position globally with an average score of 498, and in science, they ranked 14th with an average score of 503 points. These results highlight Dubai's strong performance in international educational assessments.