AED 1 Million fine for UAE private schools not adhering to new Ministry of Education law

The UAE’s Ministry of Education (MOE) has issued a statement stressing the need for all UAE private schools to adhere to all the conditions and requirements of its recent private-education law or face big penalties, including a fine of AED1 million and even possible school closure.

In a social media post on 5 December 2022, the Ministry of Education highlighted the relevant requirements for UAE private schools in Article (11) of Federal Decree-Law No. (18) of 2020, which aims to preserve UAE national identity. The requirements include ensuring appropriate dress for schoolteachers, hanging pictures of the UAE rulers in the school, playing the UAE national anthem in morning assemblies and ensuring that the curricula and learning resources do not violate the laws of the UAE, or the culture, values and national firm principles of society.

In the same post the MOE warned that these requirements will be enforced through regular inspections of school premises by regulators. Those schools found to be violating the law will be liable for penalties as stipulated in Article (28) of Federal Decree-Law No. (18) of 2020 regarding private education – which could range from an official warning to a Dh1 million fine, suspension of school activities, or even total school closure.

What are the requirements for UAE private schools?

The UAE Ministry of Education has issued a strong reminder to all private schools of the need to adhere to the conditions and requirements issued in Article 11 of Federal Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020, which is designed to help safeguard UAE national identity.

The Ministry’s list of conditions are as follows:

9 Things every private school must do to preserve UAE national identity

1. Observe public morals and the values and culture of the UAE.
2. Respect the symbols and sovereignty of the UAE.
3. Hang the official pictures of the rulers in accordance with the guidelines approved by the Emirate which the school is under the authority thereof.
4. Perform exclusively the UAE’s national anthem during the morning assembly.
5. Raise exclusively the UAE’s flag in the school in accordance with the guidelines listed in the guide for the use of the UAE flag.
6. Refrain from placing pictures or paintings of persons or symbols other than the UAE’s leaders.
7. Employees must observe the general appearance in accordance with the traditions and customs of the UAE.
8. Obtain the necessary approvals to hold extra-curricular activities, celebrations and student events.
9. Ensure that the curricula or learning resources do not include any violation of the laws of the UAE, or the culture, values and national firm principles of society.

وزارة التربية والتعليم، تشدد على ضرورة الالتزام بكافة الاشتراطات والمتطلبات الصادرة في المادة (11) من المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم (18) لسنة 2020 والتي تهدف إلى ترسيخ مفاهيم الهوية الوطنية لدى الطلبة وتعزيز انتماءهم الوطني في المدارس الخاصة. pic.twitter.com/r910Z3dqkA

— وزارة التربية والتعليم (@MOEUAEofficial) December 5, 2022

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

Alongside the social media post outlining these requirements, the MOE also included a warning that relevant regulatory authorities will verify schools’ compliance with these requirements and impose penalties on violating schools in accordance with the provisions of Article 28 of Federal Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 regarding private education. The text of this is included below:

Article 28- Administrative Violations and Penalties imposed on the Private School

1- The Ministry or Educational Entity may impose any of the following penalties on the Private School in case of violating the provisions of this Decree-Law or its Implementing Regulation:

• a- Warning.
• b- Fine exceeding (1,000,000) one million Dirhams per one case.
• c- Temporary closure or suspension of Educational Activity for a period not exceeding one academic year.
• d- Final closure.

2- The Implementing Regulation of this Decree-Law shall determine the violations and penalties imposed and set forth in Clause (1) of this Article, as well as the rules of imposition of such penalties.

3- Without prejudice to the penalties stipulated in this Article, the Ministry or the Educational Entity shall have the right to close the Private School permanently and immediately in the event that it commits acts contrary to public order or public morals, or is harmful to public security in the State, or breaches the requirements of security, health and safety.

4- Grievances may be made against the decisions issued regarding the penalties stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article in accordance with the Implementing Regulation of this Decree-Law.

What does this mean for UAE private schools?

The majority of UAE private schools will already be well aware of these guidelines, and will be implementing them daily as a matter of course. Private schools are very mindful of the many benefits of operating in the UAE and are thankful for the country’s tolerance, and in turn are respectful and fully supportive of the UAE’s own traditions and customs.

Certain guidelines may now need revisiting to ensure full compliance, including the fact that it is not allowed to “place pictures or paintings of persons or symbols other than the UAE’s leaders” and ensuring that “curricula or learning resources do not include any violation of the laws of the UAE, or the culture, values and national firm principles of society.” This process has already started as part of current school regulator inspections and we have feedback from schools that school inspectors, including those from the KHDA and ADEK, are providing helpful guidance to ensure that the new requirements are met.

This latest reminder comes just a few months after the Ministry of Education issued a new Code of Conduct that all education professionals were required to sign, which includes sections on respecting Emirati culture and Islamic values.

Prohibited behaviours detailed in the Code of Conduct include “[d]iscussing religious topics that provoke division” and “[e]ngaging in conversation with students about sensitive topics such as human reproduction, homosexuality, that does not serve a clear educational purpose associated with the agreed curriculum.”

Further information

The full text of the Code of Conduct for Education Professionals in General Education, which was required to be signed by all education professionals in the UAE by 6 September 2023, is below.

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