Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has announced that no inspections will be conducted for most private schools in the emirate during the 2025-26 academic year, marking a significant shift in its approach to evaluating education quality.
The decision, revealed on Friday, May 16, applies to all private schools in Dubai except those in their third year of operation. These newer schools will still undergo full inspections. The KHDA explained that the move aligns with a broader strategy to foster collaboration, innovation, and ongoing development in the education sector.
Instead of traditional inspections, the KHDA will carry out targeted visits focused on specific areas of educational quality. These visits will be guided by community feedback and aligned with the priorities of the UAE’s Education 33 strategy.
Fatma Ibrahim Belrehif, CEO of the Education Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency at KHDA, highlighted the rationale behind the change.
“The suspension of inspections next year will allow for greater collaboration and reflection on how we define and support quality in education,”
she said.
“Through targeted visits and ongoing engagement with schools, we will ensure that every child in Dubai continues to receive a high quality education that aligns with our goals.”
Schools are still required to monitor and report academic progress through external benchmark assessments. Additionally, they must regularly update their self-evaluation forms (SEF), which are designed to reflect each school’s progress and focus on areas such as special educational needs, early years development, innovation, social studies, and English as an additional language.
According to the Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB), schools must submit their SEF documents online at least two weeks prior to any scheduled visit or inspection.
The announcement follows KHDA’s recent approval allowing private schools in Dubai to raise tuition fees for the next academic year, based on an Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.35 percent. For-profit schools may adjust fees depending on their inspection ratings and the ECI, though any increases apply only for a single academic year and cannot be carried forward.
Dubai’s education regulator emphasized that while inspections are on hold, maintaining high standards in teaching and student wellbeing remains a top priority.
News Source: Khaleej Times
