ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) has hired 212 new teaching staff and school specialists. They were selected from a pool of 18,000 applicants in a UAE-based recruitment drive. It is part of ADEC's 10-year strategic plan to overhaul the education system in the emirate. Another recruitment drive is underway to find teachers from abroad. Nearly half of the new recruits are Emirati, with 102 Emiratis and 110 expatriates, preparing to work in Abu Dhabi's government schools. The new school staff will teach subjects including geography, Arabic, English, Islamic studies, maths and IT. Other positions include social workers, psychologists, lab specialists, kindergarten teachers and trained special education teachers. ADEC's executive director of School Operations, Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, said: "In order to provide a world-class education we must have capable teachers who have been trained in a diverse range of teaching methods, and who understand the importance of tailoring education to suit the needs of individual students." All newly appointed teachers must have obtained a Bachelor's degree in addition to a teaching qualification. Expatriate teachers must also have a minimum of three years teaching experience. mswan@thenational.ae