GamaLearn and the Ministry of Education UAE: A Tale of Ongoing Digital Education Success

Transforming UAE’s Education System: A Digital Education Assessment Revolution by GamaLearn

For many years, GamaLearn, in partnership with the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has achieved remarkable success on a national scale. This remarkable collaboration has transformed the landscape of education and assessment, significantly impacting the lives of students and educators alike. Since 2016 MOE UAE has initiated a groundbreaking partnership with GamaLearn to embark on a full digital education transformation of the assessment process. This case study highlights how GamaLearn collaborated with MOE UAE to roll out a comprehensive digital assessment platform, supporting various forms of assessments, and enhancing education nationwide.

Empowering Digital Education

Before the partnership with GamaLearn, assessments in UAE schools were paper-based. This approach posed several challenges, including resource-intensive exam preparations, limited flexibility in assessment methods, and difficulties in ensuring security and integrity. The UAE government recognized the need to modernize the education system by introducing a more efficient and technology-driven assessment platform that could cater to a diverse set of needs.

Since then GamaLearn has been playing a pivotal role in transforming education in the UAE to digital education, by providing cutting-edge assessment solutions for a range of national exams. These include the EmSAT Advantage exams for Grades 4, 6, 8, and 10, Continuous Education Exams, Diploma for Kids, Teachers Exams, Summative Exams, and many more. These assessments have already served hundreds of thousands of examinees across the seven emirates, all while being completely digital, secure, and seamlessly accessible at the same time.

Project Scope

The project aimed to transition the entire assessment process from traditional paper-based methods to a comprehensive digital platform. The scope of the transformation included the following key aspects:

• Centralized Examination System: Implementing a unified system for conducting centralized exams to maintain consistency and fairness.
• Coverage of All Schools: Extending the assessment platform’s accessibility to both public and private schools, ensuring equal opportunities for all students.
• Centralized and Decentralized Exams: Supporting the conduct of both centralized national exams and decentralized school-based assessments.
• Teacher and Student Exams: Enabling teachers to create and administer assessments, promoting continuous professional development, and facilitating student self-assessment.
• Support for Students with Special Needs: Ensuring inclusivity by providing tools and accommodations for students with special needs during assessments.
• Hybrid Exams (Online and Offline): Adapting to the evolving educational landscape by offering both online and offline assessment modes.
• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Support: Allowing students to use their own devices for assessments while maintaining security.
• Security Measures: Implementing robust security features, including AI proctoring, watermarking, and plagiarism detection, to ensure the integrity of assessments.
• Collaboration with Stakeholders: Working closely with the assessment department, IT operations, curriculum department, and decision-makers to ensure the platform met their specific needs and requirements.
• Data and Reporting: Providing insights into student learning outcomes and assessment data to enhance decision-making and support educational reform.
• Integration with Emerging Requirements: Continuously evolving the platform to align with emerging educational trends and requirements.

A Multifaceted Approach

One of the key aspects of GamaLearn’s success story is its commitment to adapting to the ever-evolving needs of the Ministry of Education and the students. GamaLearn has empowered MOE UAE students with multiple ways of taking assessments, whether online or offline, and even through SmartPaper exams. Furthermore, instructors have been provided with online and mobile grading options, allowing them to conduct manual grading from anywhere and at any time, ensuring that the learning process remains uninterrupted.

A Long-Standing Partnership

The Ministry of Education/Emirates Schools Establishment has been collaborating with GamaLearn for over seven years, making it a truly strong partnership. The implementation of assessment solutions has extended its reach to support more than 500 schools and over 300,000 students and teachers across both private and public schools in the UAE. This partnership has left no stone unturned, offering support for various streams and educational initiatives on a national level.

A Transformative Journey to Digital Education

Implementation and Achievements

The transformation was carried out in several phases, starting with a pilot project in a select number of schools and gradually expanding to cover the entire nation. Key milestones and achievements included:

1. Infrastructure Readiness: Ensuring that all schools have the necessary infrastructure, including reliable internet access and compatible devices.
2. Rollout Plan: Carefully planned implementation schedules, providing training and technical support to educators and administrators.
3. Hybrid Assessment: The platform successfully supported both online and offline assessments, allowing students to choose the most suitable mode.

1. BYOD Support: With proper security measures in place, students were able to use their own devices for assessments, enhancing accessibility.
2. Security Measures: The platform’s robust security features, including AI proctoring and watermarking, proved effective in maintaining the integrity of assessments.
3. Data-Driven Insights: The SwiftAssess platform provided valuable data and reporting, enabling educators to measure student learning outcomes and improve the education system.
4. Continuous Evolution: The platform’s flexibility allowed it to adapt to emerging educational requirements, ensuring its long-term relevance.

GamaLearn has brought extensive changes in the education sector of the UAE. Students now have the convenience of accessing their tests from the comfort of their schools, without the need for constant internet connectivity. All assessments are conducted digitally, maintaining the highest levels of security and standardization through a Linear on Fly and Randomized Architecture.

Widespread Coverage

This success story is not limited to a specific grade or type of school. SwiftAssess has expanded its reach to cover Grade 4 to Grade 12 in both public and private schools, benefiting approximately 450,000 students. The platform is also playing a vital role in supporting teachers, field engineers, staff, and various departments within the Ministry of Education and Emirates Schools Establishment.

The partnership between MOE UAE and GamaLearn led to a successful full digital education transformation of the assessment process, marking a significant milestone in the country’s education system. The project’s comprehensive approach, supporting all types of assessments and involving multiple stakeholders, significantly improved the efficiency, accessibility, and integrity of assessments. By measuring student learning outcomes and responding to emerging requirements, GamaLearn added significant value to the UAE’s education system. This initiative not only modernized the assessment process but also set a benchmark for educational excellence and innovation in the region.

This ongoing collaboration continues to transform education in the UAE and promises a brighter future for its learners.