Education leaders and institutional officials gathered at the Sharjah Education Academy on Sunday, October 4, 2026, for the closing ceremony of the fifth International Conference for Arabic Language Teachers. Organized jointly by the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Sharjah Education Academy, the event centered on the theme of linguistic security and the future of Arabic instruction across the emirate’s classrooms.
Linguistic Security and International Assessment Rankings in Sharjah
The conference placed linguistic security at the forefront of regional educational development. Dr. Muhadda Yahiya Al Hashemi, president of both the Sharjah Private Education Authority and the Sharjah Education Academy, addressed the gathering by highlighting Sharjah’s broader cultural and academic trajectory.
She pointed directly to the results from the 2025 Programme for International Student Assessment, known as PISA, where Sharjah secured 14th globally in mathematics, 23rd in science, and 33rd in reading. Officials attributed these rankings to leadership support and ongoing investments in human capital and early childhood education, including directives to expand Arabic language instruction within government nurseries.
Measuring Literacy Across 54 Private Schools
A major focal point of the gathering was the unveiling of an extensive literacy study conducted by Miqyas Al Dhad—an initiative under Arabic Scale designed to establish a unified framework for assessing Arabic reading literacy. Stemming from a memorandum of understanding signed in October 2025 between the assessment body and the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the research established a baseline for reading comprehension in Classical Arabic.
Utilizing a mixed-method research design that combined quantitative data analysis with qualitative evidence, the evaluation examined educational and demographic factors influencing performance disparities.
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This study helps us form a clearer picture of Arabic reading comprehension levels among private school students in the emirate, and to identify areas that need further support.
Abdullah Al Marzouqi, Sharjah Private Education Authority via Zawya
Iyad Darawsheh, general manager of Miqyas Al Dhad, emphasized that the findings provide a baseline that can be built upon to determine development priorities and improve learning outcomes.
- Building a consistent progression of reading skills that fosters critical thinking and evidence-based reasoning.
- Elevating teaching quality through targeted professional development programs for educators.
- Integrating digital platforms and diagnostic assessment tools to monitor student progress.
Showcases and Exhibitions Featured During the Conference
During the event, attendees viewed a short film titled Linguistic Impact, which traced the evolution of the conference across its five iterations and highlighted the emirate’s cultural landmarks.
On the sidelines of the conference, the Ruler of Sharjah toured the Teacher and Proud Program exhibition. Officials noted that the initiative has registered 113 UAE national teachers across Sharjah’s nurseries and schools, with 62 educators enrolled in master’s degree tracks. The program booth featured 13 action research projects, 14 discussion panels, and educational stations.
The program concluded with official honors presented to conference partners, alongside student presentations including a reading experience shared by a non-native Arabic-speaking student inspired by the book House of Wisdom by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi.
