HABIBA JABALLAH
Dubai
Summary
Academic leader with extensive experience overseeing curriculum development, teaching quality, and academic operations across international and national frameworks (IB, MoE, CIS). Skilled in data-driven performance monitoring, strategic planning, staff recruitment, coaching, and accreditation compliance. Proven track record in improving student achievement, aligning instructional programs with standards, and enhancing overall school performance through targeted professional development and operational oversight.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Education Expert: Assistant Head & PYP Coordinator
Dar Al Marefa Private School
Dubai
01.2021 - Current
- Directed alignment of the IB PYP written, taught, and assessed curriculum with IB Standards, KHDA frameworks, and UAE Education Strategy 2030 by leading planning cycles, data reviews (GL, CAT4, ISA, TIMSS, IBT, PASS, ABT), and action plans, resulting in an Outstanding IB Evaluation and measurable gains across 11 KHDA inspection indicators, including a Very Good rating in Curriculum Design & Moderation.
- Led assessment governance and reporting by analyzing multi-source student achievement data and presenting improvement plans to the Board of Governors, driving two consecutive years of Very Good ABT attainment and positioning the school among the top four rated institutions in the UAE while strengthening readiness for IB and KHDA inspections.
- Managed academic operations and PYP delivery for a multi-grade primary division by restructuring unit planners, standardizing moderation protocols, and introducing performance dashboards, increasing student proficiency by 18% across core subjects and reducing curriculum planning inconsistencies by 35% within one academic year.
- Supervised teaching staff through instructional coaching cycles, structured lesson observations, and performance benchmarking aligned to IB and national standards, resulting in a 22% improvement in internal assessment outcomes and a 15% rise in parent satisfaction scores from annual stakeholder surveys.
Deputy Head for Academic Affairs / PYP Coordinator / Head of MoE Curriculum
Paradise Valley Private School
Muscat
08.2019 - 01.2021
- Spearheaded the IB PYP candidacy application by managing consultation timelines, coordinating MyIB documentation, and registering all PYP faculty for IB training, securing successful programme approval within the projected accreditation cycle and achieving full compliance with IB authorization requirements.
- Directed schoolwide quality assurance and talent development by implementing structured performance reviews, inclusive education frameworks, and data-informed development plans, improving teacher retention by 20%, increasing differentiated learning compliance to 95% across classrooms, and strengthening stakeholder engagement through quarterly board reporting and parent partnership initiatives while serving as a 2023–2024 Arab Reading Challenge jury member.
- Directed academic governance across IB PYP and MoE curriculum streams by integrating curriculum mapping software, vertical alignment audits, and term-based attainment tracking, increasing cross-curricular alignment accuracy by 28% and raising core subject attainment benchmarks by 16% within two academic cycles.
- Led Ministry of Education curriculum implementation and compliance oversight by restructuring scope and sequence frameworks, optimizing resource allocation against budget targets, and introducing standardized classroom walkthrough analytics, reducing compliance gaps by 40% and improving inspection performance ratings across academic quality indicators.
Vice Principal / PYP Coordinator / Head of MoE Curriculum
Oman International School
Muscat
04.2018 - 06.2019
- Orchestrated the IB consultation and candidacy pathway by serving as the primary liaison between the school, IBO, and Ministry of Education, coordinating documentation audits, compliance reviews, and consultation visit logistics, resulting in successful candidacy progression within the scheduled cycle and closure of 100% of pre-authorization action points.
- Elevated instructional standards across the school by designing and delivering targeted professional development aligned to IB frameworks and national curriculum requirements, implementing post-training observation metrics and performance tracking, which improved lesson quality ratings by 24% and increased curriculum alignment consistency across grade levels by 31%.
- Championed dual-framework academic integration by synchronizing IB PYP transdisciplinary units with Ministry of Education subject mandates through gap analysis, pacing recalibration, and quarterly attainment forecasting, increasing curriculum coherence scores by 33% and improving national examination pass rates by 14% within one academic year.
- Administered instructional performance and compliance monitoring by introducing data-calibrated appraisal systems, risk-based academic audits, and resource optimization models, reducing instructional variance across grade levels by 26% and improving external review compliance outcomes to 98% adherence against regulatory benchmarks.
School Principal
Itlalat Al Majd Private School
Muscat
08.2016 - 02.2018
- Directed integrated academic and operational oversight by implementing performance scorecards, revising 25+ institutional policies, and aligning professional development plans with measurable instructional targets, resulting in a 19% increase in overall staff effectiveness ratings and a 21% improvement in student achievement benchmarks within one academic cycle.
- Reengineered recruitment and workforce evaluation systems by standardizing competency-based hiring protocols, introducing KPI-linked appraisal frameworks, and tracking retention analytics, reducing time-to-hire by 32%, improving new staff retention by 23%, and increasing cross-department collaboration index scores by 27% based on annual climate survey data.
- Oversaw full-school operations and curriculum delivery by implementing structured instructional audits, aligning teacher development with student performance metrics, and monitoring assessment trends, resulting in a 17% increase in student proficiency scores and a 28% reduction in curriculum delivery gaps within one academic year.
- Led strategic staff development and recruitment initiatives by designing competency-based evaluation systems, introducing targeted mentoring programs, and tracking performance KPIs, improving teacher retention by 21% and raising faculty performance ratings by 19% according to annual internal assessments.
Elementary Coordinator / Advanced PYP Arabic Teacher / Students' Council Coordinator
Al Sahwa Private Schools
Muscat
08.2005 - 06.2015
- Led PYP induction and coordinated IB consultation and CIS accreditation processes by managing self-study documentation, faculty training, and compliance audits, resulting in successful CIS accreditation with 100% of action items completed and an increase of 23% in curriculum compliance scores.
- Served on academic and strategic planning committees by analyzing school performance metrics, contributing to development plans, and monitoring implementation outcomes, improving targeted student achievement KPIs by 18% and aligning school initiatives with accreditation standards.
- Coordinated elementary curriculum delivery and student programs by implementing performance tracking systems, analyzing assessment data, and aligning instructional strategies with PYP objectives, resulting in a 21% increase in Arabic literacy scores and a 16% improvement in cross-grade student engagement metrics within one academic year.
- Directed student council initiatives and leadership development programs by structuring project workflows, monitoring participation data, and facilitating student-led community projects, increasing council-led event participation by 34% and improving student leadership competency ratings by 27% based on post-activity evaluations.
Arabic & Bilingual Primary School Teacher. (Arabic and French)
Ministry of Education
Oman & Tunisia
01.1993 - 01.2005
- Planned, taught, and assessed Arabic and French language programs by implementing differentiated lesson plans, tracking student progress through formative and summative assessments, resulting in a 19% improvement in language proficiency scores and a 12% increase in student pass rates on national exams.
- Served as Vice President of the PTA and contributed to MOE Arabic curriculum development by coordinating parent engagement initiatives, analyzing feedback data, and aligning recommendations with national standards, increasing parent participation in school programs by 28% and supporting a 15% improvement in student academic outcomes.
- Delivered Arabic and French instruction across multiple grade levels by implementing differentiated learning strategies and continuous assessment monitoring, increasing student language proficiency scores by 22% and reducing skill gaps between beginner and advanced learners by 18% over a single academic year.
- Designed and evaluated bilingual learning modules by integrating formative assessments and performance tracking tools, resulting in a 20% improvement in national exam readiness and a 25% increase in student participation in language-based extracurricular activities.
Education
Master's degree - business administration
University of Bedfordshire
UK01.2017
Bachelor of Art - Teaching & Learning
The University of Tunis
Tunisia01.1993
GED/ Baccalaureate Diploma -
Lycée Des Jeunes Filles
Kairouan, Tunisia01.1991
Diploma - Teaching & Learning
The Higher Institution of Teaching in Kairouan
Kairouan, TunisiaSkills
- Assessment planning, analysis
- Stakeholder engagement
- Strategic school planning, budgeting & resource allocation
- accreditation compliance
- classroom observation
- Leadership & team management
- Data management & educational technology integration
- Data-driven decision making
- Accreditation & inspection readiness (IB, MoE, CIS)
- Coaching, mentoring
- Project management for school initiatives
- Reporting
Educational Leadership License
TR-2025-S-13-046073
Languages
- Arabic (Native)
- French (Fluent)
- English (Fluent)
References
Available upon request
Professional Development Certifications
- Leading IB Education 2025
- Connecting subjects to create a coherent PYP curriculum 2025
- School leadership Licence: Criteria and indicators of school leadership success 2025
- Child protection for International Schools, issued by Tes 2025
- Inclusive Practices, issued by Tes 2025
- IB Evaluation Leader 2023
- IB Workshop Leader 2014
- Certified Leadership Coach, 2022
- IB Programme Leader 2021
- Concept-Based instruction 2020
- Education management 2018
- IB Visiting Team Leader 2016
- IB Advanced Consultant 2015
- CIS Visiting Team Member 2015
- Inquiry-based Learning 2013
- PYP Assessment 2011
Accreditations
- Educational Leadership & School Improvement
- IB PYP Evaluation & Authorisation
- Consultation & Training
- Accreditation & Compliance: IB Evaluation, KHDA inspection, CIS accreditation
- KHDA Inspection & UAE Compliance
- CIS Accreditation & Evaluation
- Curriculum Design, Review & Vertical Alignment
- Assessment & Data-Informed Decision Making
- Coaching and management, issued International Leadership and Management Institute, United Kingdom, 2022
- Training the Trainer, Oman Training Centre
Timeline
Education Expert: Assistant Head & PYP Coordinator
Dar Al Marefa Private School
01.2021 - Current
Deputy Head for Academic Affairs / PYP Coordinator / Head of MoE Curriculum
Paradise Valley Private School
08.2019 - 01.2021
Vice Principal / PYP Coordinator / Head of MoE Curriculum
Oman International School
04.2018 - 06.2019
School Principal
Itlalat Al Majd Private School
08.2016 - 02.2018
Elementary Coordinator / Advanced PYP Arabic Teacher / Students' Council Coordinator
Al Sahwa Private Schools
08.2005 - 06.2015
Arabic & Bilingual Primary School Teacher. (Arabic and French)
Ministry of Education
01.1993 - 01.2005
Master's degree - business administration
University of Bedfordshire
Bachelor of Art - Teaching & Learning
The University of Tunis
GED/ Baccalaureate Diploma -
Lycée Des Jeunes Filles
Diploma - Teaching & Learning
The Higher Institution of Teaching in Kairouan