Educators in Abu Dhabi have welcomed reforms to assessment of senior students in the United Arab Emirates capital.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has updated its assessment process so that cycle 3 students no longer receive numeric marks.

The year 10 and 11 students will now be assessed using special letters.

They will be reported as having no achievement (N), emerging achievement (E), developing achievement (D) or Mastery (M).

ADEC’s International Assessments Division manager Shaikha Ali Al Zaabi told The National the new assessment process made it easier for students to succeed as it let them identify their strengths and weaknesses.

“Assessment on a day to day, period by period basis over all three trimesters provides greater opportunities for students to demonstrate progress,” she said.

The update is part of ADEC’s efforts to modernise its educational policies.

Science teacher at an ADEC school Alex Urmeneta welcomed the focus on learning results.

“It makes more sense than high stakes, end-of-year-style tests,” he said.

But he warned that teachers, students and parents must be educated on how the assessment process works and what the new outcomes mean.

Abu Dhabi is reforming its education system as part of its shift away from oil revenue.