School inspections have been halted in Dubai but an official clarified that this applies only to the 2024-25 academic year.
An official from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) quelled all doubts and stressed that the decision was taken to enhance the teaching and learning experience in the emirate’s schools.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Fatma Belrehif, CEO of Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau (DSIB), told Khaleej Times: “The decision for schools to not undergo full inspections applies only for the 2024-25 academic year.”
In an exclusive interview with KT, Belrehif addressed other concerns — including potential uniform fee increases for the 2025-26 academic year.
Any such hike, she said, will have to be verified by the KHDA.
“The School Fees Framework is the mechanism by which schools can adjust their fees annually. The rate by which schools can adjust their fees is tied to each school’s most recent inspection rating. Any fee adjustment by schools must be approved by the KHDA. Schools will be notified in case of any changes or updates to the fee framework,” Belrehif said.
In April 2024, the KHDA announced an Education Cost Index (ECI) of 2.6 per cent, based on which schools could adjust their fees for the 2024-25 academic year. In the emirate, private schools were authorised to raise tuition fees by a maximum of 5.2 per cent, depending on how they fared in the latest annual inspections.
Dubai schools have typically undergone inspections and received new ratings every year, except during the pandemic when conducting them weren’t feasible.
Focus on specific areas
Though full inspections were paused, the DSIB will carry out additional visits in the nex academic year, focusing on particular areas.
“We will conduct other visits that target specific focus areas and include ongoing monitoring activities. Any update to future inspection cycles will be announced next year.”
After the initial announcement about the pause, some Dubai school leaders indicated the possibility of combining the biennial quality assurance inspection with annual, lighter assessments focused on specific or immediate concerns.
“The decision (to pause inspections) aims to support the teaching and learning process for students and gives schools the opportunity to implement changes to support their development and improvement plans,” Belrehif said.
“Inspectors will conduct quality assurance visits that target specific focus areas to monitor schools’ progress on improvement plans during the next academic year.”
Schools that wish to undergo a full inspection may submit a request to the inspection team, which will be subject to review and approval, she added.
However, the request for inspection needs to include strategic plans and future goals identified by the institutions.
“The team will look into a number of factors, including improvement areas and plans identified by the school and significant improvement milestones they wish to highlight during the requested inspection visit.”
School self-evaluation form explained
Besides inspections, schools also fill out self-evaluation forms (SEF) — a tool that allows educational institutions to reflect on their impact and capabilities.
This should take into account any strengths and successes, as well as identifying areas for improvement, the DSIB official said.
“Therefore, the School Self-Evaluation Form is an essential part of schools’ ongoing cycle of review and improvement planning and helps them measure how well they are doing in different performance indicators outlined in the UAE School Inspection Framework,” Belrehif said.