Public versus private education in primary science: The case of Abu Dhabi schools

This study compares public and private science education in sixteen Abu Dhabi primary schools. A survey including open-ended questions was used to assess teachers’ perceived strengths and challenges in teaching science. Perceptions of primary school principals were analyzed through individual interviews. Both sets of data sources were coded and several themes were identified. The predominant findings show that science teaching in Abu Dhabiʹs schools faces a number of challenges. This study cannot conclude that either public or private education is superior in this context. However, it can begin to delineate how they differ. Many of the identified issues could be addressed by targeted, well-publicized professional development, which focuses on both teaching science content and integrating science throughout the curriculum.