To meet the needs of the rising population, Dubai has an excellent education system that is exceptionally well-regulated. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) is the Government of Dubai’s leading quality assurance and regulatory authority in charge of overseeing private schools in the emirate. Continue reading to learn more about the work of Dubai’s educational quality assurance authority.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE KHDA DUBAI
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) was established in 2006 under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai) to assess the level of education in the city. The government has established safety rules for Dubai’s schools. KHDA seeks to keep the private educational sector’s standards high. Preschools, schools, universities, and vocational training institutions are all included.
DUBAI KHDA RESOURCES
RATING SYSTEM KHDA
Every year, the KHDA releases school inspection reports in which higher education institutions are rated as Excellent, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, or Weak. The reports include thorough information about a school’s quality of education, allowing parents to make educated judgments.
DUBAI HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS RATING
Another KHDA publication is the Ranking of Foreign Higher Education Institutions in Dubai. It is meant to help parents and students choose the best higher education option for each individual. Some of the factors used to evaluate colleges included teaching, employability, research, program strength, arts and culture, happiness, and well-being. Instead of utilizing the previous year’s star system, KHDA has now disclosed each school’s true score.
THE FACT SHEET ON SCHOOL FEES
This new application was developed to deliver thorough and trustworthy information about their children’s school expenditures to parents in Dubai. It is a one-page document that specifies every charge that a school may levy throughout the school year.
INSPECTIONS OF BRITISH SCHOOLS OVERSEAS
Schools in Dubai that provide the National Curriculum of England and Wales can now apply to participate in British Schools Abroad inspections. Parents who send their children to BSO-inspected schools know that the education they are receiving is on par with that of an independent school in the United Kingdom. If you are considering the British curriculum for your child, ask the school if they are BSO-certified.
DUBAI KHDA ENTITIES
BUREAU OF SCHOOL INSPECTION IN DUBAI
The Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB), established in 2007 by the Executive Council of the Government of Dubai, conducts surveys to gather complete information regarding the quality of private education in Dubai.
It inspects schools, meets with parents, students, and educators, and assigns the KHDA rating to each school based on these educational requirements.
DUBAI SCHOOL AGENCY (DSA)
Dubai School Agency (DSA), another significant body of KHDA, was established to review educational services in the UAE. It governs the cooperation of government organizations and commercial institutes and supports the development of new initiatives to provide academic support to Emirati students.
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF THE EMIRATES (ENDP)
The Emirates Nationals Development Programme (ENDP), a regulatory arm of KHDA, strives to support and train UAE residents as they begin their careers in the private sector. It links job searchers with potential companies, providing them with relevant employment opportunities.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (NIVE)
The National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE), established under the direction of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is another important organization of KHDA. It not only promotes vocational education but also ensures that students develop skills that improve their prospects of finding work.
TAMKEEN
Tamkeen, which operates under KHDA, was founded to help persons with determination find work. It provides continual training programs, braille printing services, and even special needs counseling.
SERVICES
KHDA provides a wide range of services to Dubai’s schools, parents, and education providers. You must utilize their e-Services site to access these services online.
E-FEEDBACK SYSTEM
If a school or university has been unjust to your child in any manner, you can express your concerns or register a complaint using KHDA’s online feedback system.
FOR EDUCATION PROVIDERS
KHDA provides a variety of online services to assist education providers in the UAE, including:
- Issuance, cancellation, renewal and amendment of educational services permit
- Advertisement approvals
- School Fees Regulation
- Staff registration and appointment
- Attestation of employment contract
- Issuance of End of Service Certificate
FOR STUDENTS
KHDA also offers these services to students:
- Student registration
- Student transfer
- Issuance of Student leaving certificate
- Replacement of Educational Certificate
- Education Continuation Certificate
- Student certificate replacement
- Student Good Conduct Certificate
- Student Education Continuation
- Certificate equivalence
FOR PARENTS
CHOOSING AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE
The KHDA website has an extensive database of schools. While choosing a school for their child, parents may use the KHDA website to look for schools based on the curriculum, yearly tuition rates, and KHDA rating.
CONTRACT BETWEEN PARENTS AND SCHOOL
Contracts are made when a kid enrolls in school to guarantee clarity and openness between schools and students’ families. KHDA establishes the contract’s terms and conditions. At the start of each school year, parents must sign the contract. There is also a KHDA parent site called Happy Home, where parents may sign a contract by logging in with their Emirates ID or UAE Pass.
PEOPLE WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION
KHDA prepares determined individuals to be job-ready so that they can live happy, independent lives. Tamkeen, the KHDA’s regulating agency, also organizes Braille training classes for visually impaired persons.
FOR EMIRATI WORKFORCE
EMPLOYMENT
KHDA provides Emiratis with work possibilities in the private sector through the Emirates Nationals Development Plan. It links job searchers with company owners and employers that are searching for qualified employees to join their teams.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
KHDA, in partnership with the National Institute for Vocational Education (NIVE), offers employment opportunities to people who have completed vocational education in Dubai.
A DUBAI 10X INITIATIVE BY RAHHAL
Rahhal is a member in the 10X program, which is Arabic for “traveller.” Rahhal is a completely customizable platform that may assist anybody, including corporations, in becoming a learning provider. It acts as a conduit, channeling the knowledge and talents of the community to each learner.
Currently, the program is only available to full-time students enrolled at Dubai Private Schools. A list of schools involved in the Rahhal initiative may be seen on the KHDA website.
The previous programs completed till last year were the Lighthouse Project and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Outstanding Students Programme 2021-2022.
KHDA APP
KHDA has also established an app to help students, teachers, parents, and school administrators find private schools and universities by name, curriculum, region, or rating. The software even allows parents to sign the Parent/School contract.
The app also includes KHDA publications, education news, social media feeds, and KHDA ‘Happy Family Home,’ which allows parents to monitor their child’s development on a regular basis. The software is accessible in Arabic as well as English.
KHDA can be reached in a variety of ways. You may reach the KHDA by dialing +971-4-364-0000 or their toll-free number: 800 5432.
The KHDA’s complaint and inquiry procedure is also rather efficient. You can send an email to info@khda.gov.ae or utilize the KHDA website’s e-feedback system.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT EXACTLY IS KHDA SAFARI?
The KHDA Safari provides a chance to learn about KHDA’s operating processes. Sign up for KHDA Safari online if you wish to learn how the authority works. You must go through the Safari signup process and provide your credentials.
HOW DO TEACHERS GET KHDA APPROVAL?
After employing a teacher, the school submits an application for the instructor’s ‘Initial Appointment,’ which is essential for the teacher to get a work visa in the UAE.
Following the First Appointment, the teacher must register with the KHDA’s Educator Permit System. Documentation for the permission includes a relevant degree, linguistic competency, a valid UAE residency visa, and a UAE police clearance certificate.
WHAT ARE THE HOMESCHOOLING OPTIONS IN DUBAI?
Parents interested in alternative education can enroll in the KHDA’s Rahhal program. To be eligible, students must be enrolled full-time at a Dubai private school.
The Ministry of Education also offers a homeschooling program for public school pupils in grades 7 through 12. Pupils are not needed to attend regular classes, and books are given by their emirate’s education zone. At the end of the course, the students get their credential by sitting the ministry’s tests.
WHAT ARE THE AGE CRITERIA FOR DUBAI SCHOOLS?
The age limit for new students at institutions that begin the academic year in September will be:
- Pre-Kindergarten or Foundation Stage 1: three years old by August 31st
- KG1 or Foundation Stage 2: must be four years old by August 31st.
- Year 1 or KG2: 5 years old by August 31st
- Year 2 or Grade 1 students must be six years old by August 31st.
The age requirement for schools that begin the academic year in April will be:
- Pre-Kindergarten: 3 years old by March 31st
- KG1: must be four years old by March 31st.
- KG2: must be 5 years old by March 31st.
- Grade 1: must be six years old by March 31st.
That’s all we have on the KHDA, the authoritative organization in charge of overseeing the management and educational methods of all of Dubai’s best schools. While many of them are British curriculum institutions, some, such as the CBSE and IB programs in Dubai, follow other popular curricula. If you are seeking for cost-effective solutions, there are several economical schools in Duba
