Research Report

Arts & Design Education in Dubai

K-12 Private Schools Survey · Fall 2024

Who Responded

School Administrators 58%
Parents 26%
Teachers 11%
Students 5%
11 School Administrators 5 Parents 2 Teachers 1 Students

Grade Levels Represented

Primary (Grades 1-5) 13 respondents
Secondary (Grades 6-9) 9 respondents
High School (Grades 10-13) 8 respondents
Kindergarten PreKg-Kg1- Kg2 1 respondents

Curriculum Breakdown

9
UK (British Curriculum)
47% of respondents
6
International Baccalaureate (IB)
32% of respondents
3
Indian (CBSE/ICSE)
16% of respondents
1
French Curriculum
5% of respondents

Agreement Levels

Arts education is valuable for students

63% SA
26% A
11% N
Strongly agree (12) Agree (5) Neutral (2) Disagree (0) Strongly disagree (0)

Dubai schools are supporting arts education

42% SA
53% A
5% N
Strongly agree (8) Agree (10) Neutral (1) Disagree (0) Strongly disagree (0)

Enough arts opportunities at school

47% SA
37% A
11% N
5% D
Strongly agree (9) Agree (7) Neutral (2) Disagree (1) Strongly disagree (0)

Arts skills useful in careers

58% SA
37% A
5% N
Strongly agree (11) Agree (7) Neutral (1) Disagree (0) Strongly disagree (0)

Is arts education currently mandatory?

10
Yes, all students
5
Yes, some grades
2
Not sure
2
Optional

Should arts education be mandatory?

10
Yes, all grades
9
Yes, certain grades
19 of 19 respondents believe arts should be mandatory

Topics to Include in Curriculum

Music 17
Drama/theater 16
Painting, drawing and sculpture 15
Photography 11
Dance 11
Digital arts 11
Design and creative services 10
Arts history 9
Audiovisual and interactive media 8
Craft to build motor skills and creativity 1
film making 1

Perceived Benefits of Arts Education

Improve creativity and self-expression 18
Enhance collaboration and teamwork 17
Develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills 14
Improve local and global cultural awareness and appreciation 14
Provide technical skills relevant to future careers 13
Builds whole brain understanding 1

Where Else Could Arts Be Integrated?

14
Extracurricular activities
14
School events and exhibitions
14
Community partnerships and collaboration
12
Student projects
9
Core subjects (e.g., math, science, language)
7
Elective classes

One Big Idea — Open-ended Responses

1

"I work in Kindergarten"

2

"Integrate these lessons with well-being evaluation to give them more importance in the timetables for students."

3

"A standardised Digital Curriculum which could be used as part of the current curriculum."

4

"More outlets for competitions More exhibitions for students to see professionals at work"

5

"Creating a Unified Arts & Design for Well-being Framework: a curriculum aligned with Dubai Vision 2031, designed to foster inclusivity, well-being, and creativity in arts education for K-12 students, including students of determination. The framework would integrate adaptive art modules, therapeutic practices, and collaborative projects that build higher order soft skills like empathy, critical thinking, and resilience. Personalised Arts Development Plans (PADPs) would support each student's unique growth, while school-wide exhibitions celebrate diverse creativity. Through teacher training and tailored student support, this curriculum would cultivate an inclusive school culture that prioritises emotional resilience and social cohesion, preparing students as compassionate, future-ready contributors to society."

6

"Availability of faculty and more weekly instructional time to weave it in more deeply within the school's curriculum."

7

"Encourage schools and their owners to invest in their Arts buildings, facilities and resources so that more students can participate as a subject in the curriculum or through extra-curricular activities."

8

"Art and design is a platform for creative expression to most challenging contexts/topics/issues around the world. We need careful analysis and deeper understanding of societal issues representation, there needs to be a thorough evaluation of the compliance and mandatory requirements such that the international students are engaged in meaningful and respectful ways to all topics. As per British curriculum we are not allowed to teach many topics of literature and sociology, these need to be addressed, and students can express in respectful for some difficult situations like street play, songs, art and forums by the ministry with clear guidelines."

9

"Trips and workshops"

Survey conducted Oct–Nov 2024 · 19 respondents · Data from K-12 private schools in Dubai