Having reviewed
- Federal Law No. (1) of 1972 concerning the competencies of ministries and the powers of ministers, and its amendments.
- Federal Law No. (29) of 2006 concerning the rights of people of determination, as amended by Law No. (14) of 2009.
- Federal Decree-Law No. (3) of 2007 concerning Private Education.
- Cabinet Resolution No. (24) of 2001 concerning the regulation of admitting expatriate children into educational stages, and its amendments.
- Cabinet Resolution No. (1/185) of 2001 regarding the approval of reorganizing primary and preparatory education and extending the years of compulsory education.
- Cabinet Resolution No. (29) of 2008 concerning the Executive Regulation for Private Education.
- Cabinet Resolution No. (22) of 2010 concerning the organizational structure of the Ministry of Education.
- Ministerial Decision No. (2/20) of 1996 concerning the regulation of enrollment and admission in public schools, and its amendments.
- Ministerial Decision No. (3481) of 2005 concerning the conditions and controls for admission to model public schools.
- And as required by the public interest.
Has Decided
Article (1)
Definitions
In the application of the provisions of this regulation, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:
The State: The United Arab Emirates.
The Ministry: The Ministry of Education.
The Minister: The Minister of Education.
The Zone: The educational zone responsible for the administration and supervision of the educational process in the Emirate.
The Educational Authority: The educational councils and bodies, each within its jurisdiction.
The School: Any public or private educational institution within the state that provides education from kindergarten to the secondary education stage under the supervision of the Ministry or educational authorities.
Public Schools: Government schools under the Ministry's supervision and administration.
Those treated as citizens:
* Holders of the state's passports.
* Children of female citizens.
* Holders of decrees issued by His Highness the President of the State or his Deputy to obtain the state's nationality, with a valid passport from their home country.
* Citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Admission: The student meeting the registration requirements for the respective grade.
Registration: Enrolling a student for the first time in one of the state's schools.
Dismissal of a student: Suspending the student's enrollment in the school.
Striking off a student's name: Terminating the student's enrollment in the school.
Re-enrollment: Enrolling the student in the school again.
Transfer: Moving a student from one school to another.
Academic Year: The time period specified for the start and end of studies annually, according to the organizational decision issued in this regard.
Class density: The number of students inside the classroom.
Kindergarten: The first stage in the educational ladder, consisting of two years preceding the basic education stage.
Basic Education Stage: Includes grades one to nine and consists of two cycles, the first and the second.
Secondary Education Stage: Includes grades ten through twelve.
Adult Education Center: An educational institution concerned with educating a specific category of learners under the administration and supervision of the Ministry.
Homeschooling: A system where a learner enrolled in a government educational institution that offers this system is allowed to sit for exams according to the system in place at the Ministry, without being required to attend and be regular in studies.
Compulsory Education: The educational stages during which the child's guardian is obliged to enroll them in education.
Compulsory education age: The age determined by the law and the decisions issued thereunder.
Absence: A student's absence from school for one school day, one class period, or more.
The Educational Committee: One of the school's board committees tasked with discussing students' problems from an educational and behavioral perspective.
Competent medical authorities: Includes the Ministry of Health and government medical bodies within the state.
Article (2)
Scope of Application of the Regulation
The provisions of this regulation shall apply to public and private schools within the state, taking into account any rules, controls, or special requirements issued by the Ministry, within the limits stipulated in this regulation.
Article (3)
Compulsory Education
Education is compulsory for males and females in accordance with the provisions of the applicable law in this regard and the decisions issued thereunder.
Article (4)
Student Admission Age
1- Admitted to the first year of kindergarten are those who have completed four years of age by (December 31) of the year of admission.
2- Admitted to the first grade of the basic education stage are those who have completed six years of age and have not exceeded eight years of age by (December 31) of the year of admission.
3- The age of students in private schools whose academic year begins in April is calculated for those who have completed the age by (July 31) of the academic year of admission.
4- The Ministry shall determine the level of those who have not obtained academic certificates or have not enrolled in the grades preceding their age group to determine the grade in which the student is to be registered, according to the systems in place in this regard.
5- The assessment and examination regulations shall regulate matters related to student failure, promotion, maximum age, and cases of exceeding it.
Article (5)
Registration Dates
1- New students shall be registered in schools during the period from March 1 to the end of April of the academic year in which the student is to be enrolled. The director of the educational zone or the educational authority may grant an exception to the mentioned date, with a maximum extension until the beginning of the academic year, in cases required by the student's interest.
Article (6)
Registration of People of Determination
The registration of students of determination shall be in accordance with the procedures, rules, and dates stipulated in the inclusion programs issued by the Ministry.
Article (7)
General Conditions for Student Registration
1- Presence in the state with a valid residence visa for non-citizens.
2- The student must have reached the prescribed age for admission.
3- Applying for registration within the specified dates.
4- Fulfilling any other requirements issued by the Ministry.
5- Submitting registration documents.
Article (8)
Registration Categories in Public Schools:
1- Registration in public schools is for the following categories:
a) Citizens, children of female citizens, and those treated as such.
b) Children of employees of the diplomatic corps and Arab bodies who hold diplomatic cards issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates.
c) Children of expatriates, provided that their registration in public schools is in accordance with the decisions and regulations issued by the state.
2- Registration in public kindergartens is for citizens and children of female citizens only.
Article (9)
Admission of Learners in Adult Education Centers and Homeschooling
Learners are admitted to adult education centers and homeschooling in one of the government educational institutions according to the criteria and controls issued by the Ministry in this regard.
Article (10)
Admission and Registration Documents
First: Academic Certificates:
With the exception of registration in kindergarten and the first grade of the first cycle, the student is required to submit the following academic certificates for registration:
1- A certificate of passing the last grade for registration in any of the grades (Grade 2 to Grade 10).
2- A certificate of passing the last two academic years for registration in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
3- A transfer certificate for students applying for registration during the academic year.
Second: Supporting Documents and Papers:
To register a student, a true copy of the following documents and papers must be submitted:
1- Student's ID card.
2- Diplomatic card (if the guardian is a diplomat).
3- Student's birth certificate.
4- Vaccination certificate.
5- Student's valid passport.
6- Family Book (for citizens).
7- Mother's Family Book (for children of female citizens).
8- Guardian's valid passport.
9- Supporting documents and papers if the guardian is someone other than the father.
10- Valid residence visa (for non-citizen students).
11- A recent personal photo of the student, size 4 x 6 cm.
12- A copy of the decree issued by His Highness the President of the State or his Deputy for holders of decrees.
Third: Requirements for Registration Documents
1- Certificates and documents must be officially attested.
2- Academic certificates and documents issued from outside the state must be attested by the Ministry of Education or the relevant authority, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the country where the certificate was issued.
3- Certificates and documents of citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries issued by their countries need only be attested by the issuing ministry.
Article (11)
Registration Procedures
1- The student's registration is based on an application submitted by the guardian to the school where the student is to be registered, using the registration form.
2- The guardian shall receive a receipt for the registration application and its attachments.
3- The receipt of the application and its attachments is not considered final acceptance until it is approved by the educational zone and the educational authority.
4- The school must decide on the registration application (acceptance or rejection) within a maximum of one week from the date of its receipt, and the rejection must be based on justified reasons.
5- Each school must notify the educational zone of its lists of new students for approval.
Article (12)
Enrollment Register
1- Each school must register its admitted students in its enrollment register according to the system approved by the Ministry and the educational authority.
2- Each school must provide the educational zone or the educational authority with its enrollment register within two weeks from the beginning of the academic year for auditing and approval.
3- Each school must notify the educational zone or the educational authority of any changes to the enrollment of its students during the academic year.
4- The educational zone or the educational authority shall follow up on the implementation of any procedures regarding the student registration regulation in the schools under its jurisdiction.
Article (13)
Rules for Enrolling Emirati Students in Public Schools
1- Emirati students and those treated as such shall be enrolled in the nearest kindergarten or school according to the geographical distribution of residential areas approved by the educational zone or the educational authority.
2- If the guardian wishes to enroll the student in a school outside the geographical scope of his residence, it is required that the school's density allows for it after accommodating the students closest to the school, provided that a written declaration is obtained from him committing to provide private transportation for the student.
Article (14)
Continuation in the Compulsory Education Stage
The student's guardian is obliged to submit a pledge to the school on the approved form, in which he acknowledges his awareness of the provisions of the Compulsory Education Law and the decisions issued thereunder, and undertakes to continue sending the student to school during the compulsory education stage. In case of violation, he shall bear the punitive consequences according to the laws and regulations.
Article (15)
Behavioral Discipline
Each school must inform the student and his guardian of the provisions of the Behavioral Discipline Regulation issued by the Ministry or the educational authority, and any amendments or changes thereto.
Article (16)
Transfer
1- A student's transfer from one school to another, whether within the state or abroad, is done upon the guardian's request and according to the following controls:
a) The student density of the school to which the student wishes to transfer must allow it, if it is within the state.
b) The transfer must be within the first month from the beginning of the academic year if the school to which the student wishes to transfer applies the same curriculum.
c) The transfer must be within two weeks from the beginning of the academic year if the school to which the student wishes to transfer applies a different curriculum, provided that he is enrolled in a stage that allows him to transfer to a different curriculum in light of the approved systems for certificate equivalency.
d) The student must be continuing his studies at the school from which he is transferring, and must not have been absent from it for more than a month for students coming from outside the state.
e) A female student who gets married shall be transferred to study in adult education centers or homeschooling.
2- The director of the educational zone or the educational authority may grant an exception to the specified dates for transfer during the academic year in cases required by the student's interest.
Article (17)
Attendance and Absence
1- The school administration shall record the attendance and absence of its registered students during the school day for each class.
2- If a student is absent from one or more classes during the school day without permission or an acceptable excuse, it is counted as a full day's absence.
Article (18)
Absence with Permission or Acceptable Excuse
A student's absence is considered with an acceptable excuse in the following cases:
1- Illness, provided that it is proven by medical certificates and reports approved by the competent medical authorities.
2- Traveling abroad to accompany a first-degree relative for treatment, provided that this is proven (by an affidavit from the official sending authority) and does not exceed one month during the academic year. This period may be extended with the approval of the director of the educational zone or the educational authority, and a statement proving his presence outside the country from the embassy of the United Arab Emirates must be provided.
3- Official and national duties assigned to the student.
4- Appearing before official bodies and authorities, provided that this is proven by a document from that body.
5- Death of a relative (first and second degree), for a maximum of three days.
6- Absence for one or two consecutive days, with a maximum of five days in the academic year for reasons accepted by the school administration.
Article (19)
Dismissal of a Student
A student is dismissed from school in the following cases:
1- Absence without permission or an acceptable excuse for (10) ten consecutive days or (15) fifteen non-consecutive days during the academic year, provided that the dismissal is preceded by three warnings to the student, one warning for every three days of absence.
2- Based on the recommendation of the school's Educational Committee and the approval of the educational zone or the educational authority.
3- If a final judgment of conviction is issued against him in a felony or a misdemeanor affecting honor or integrity.
4- In all cases, the dismissal decision is issued by the school principal and approved by the administration of the educational zone or the educational authority, and the guardian is notified.
Article (20)
Striking off a Student's Name
A student's name is struck off the enrollment records in the following cases:
1- Dismissal of the student according to the text of Article (19).
2- Death.
3- If he obtains a transfer certificate from the school to go abroad.
Article (21)
Re-enrollment of a Student
The competent educational zone or the educational authority may re-enroll a student according to the following controls:
1- He must not have been dismissed for disciplinary reasons in accordance with the Behavioral Discipline Regulation issued by the Ministry.
2- He must not have been dismissed due to a final judgment of conviction against him in a felony or a misdemeanor affecting honor or integrity.
3- He must not have been previously re-enrolled in the same academic year.
4- The student must not have been out of school for more than two academic years.
5- The student's age upon re-enrollment must not exceed the maximum age limit for admission to the grade he wishes to be enrolled in.
Those who do not meet the re-enrollment controls shall be transferred to homeschooling or adult education centers according to the systems and rules issued by the Ministry in this regard.
Article (22)
All schools, educational zones, and the educational authority shall adhere to the forms, registers, and systems issued by the Ministry regarding student registration.
Article (23)
Ministerial Decision No. (2/20) of 1996 and its amendments, mentioned above, is hereby repealed, as is any provision that contradicts or conflicts with the provisions of this regulation.
Article (24)
This regulation shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into effect from the day following the date of its publication.
Humaid bin Mohammed Al Qatami
Minister of Education
Note Issued
Ministry of Education Resolution No. (24) of 2021 regarding updating the calculation date for the age of admission of students in public and private schools
Notice of Name Changes:
The name "Ministry of Foreign Affairs" was replaced with "Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation" by virtue of Cabinet Resolution No. (7) of 2016.
Article Five of Federal Decree-Law No. (14) of 2016 also stipulated that the name "Ministry of Health" be replaced with "Ministry of Health and Prevention" wherever it appears in any federal legislation.