KHDA outlines four focus areas for quality assurance visits to Dubai private schools this academic year

Dubai: Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) will begin conducting quality assurance visits to private schools in the first term of the 2026-27 academic year, using a new flexible, data-driven methodology that takes into account each school’s stage of development and individual needs, with a focus on the impact of educational quality on students’ learning and daily experience.

Fatma Belrehif, CEO of the Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency at KHDA said the new methodology uses AI tools to help determine the most appropriate type of visit for each school.

New private schools in their first or second year of operation will undergo specialised visits from education evaluators to assess the quality of teaching and learning and students’ experience, while supporting schools’ development and improvement.

Schools entering their third year of operation will receive a comprehensive quality assurance visit covering overall school performance and the quality of teaching and learning. The visit will conclude with a detailed report and an overall school rating.

Alongside the quality indicators set out in the UAE School Inspection Framework, this academic year’s visits will focus on four key areas: early childhood; the quality of education provided to Emirati students; inclusive education and the academic progress of students of determination; and the teaching and learning of Arabic.

Fatma Belrehif said: “The quality assurance visits this academic year align with the objectives of Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy, which places the student at the heart of the education system and focuses on improving the quality and outcomes of education. The strategy also seeks to ensure that all students have access to high-quality education, with particular attention to Emirati students. We believe every student deserves a high-quality education, and every parent has the right to have confidence in the quality of the school they choose for their children.

“This year’s visits are designed to be more flexible and responsive to each school’s needs, with a focus on students’ experience in the classroom and throughout their daily school life. We will work alongside schools to support their improvement journeys through ongoing partnerships with schools, parents and the wider school community.”

Visits will assess the quality of education and care for children in early childhood and clarify expectations for this important stage of development.

Quality assurance teams will also assess the quality of education for Emirati students, their academic progress, and the extent to which they benefit from learning opportunities, in line with the E33 Strategy’s objectives to empower Emirati talent and strengthen educational outcomes.

Schools will also be assessed on the quality of their inclusive education provision, including specialised educational services for students with complex needs, in line with the Alternative Education Pathways policy. This aligns with KHDA’s priorities and its role on the Higher Committee for Protection of the Rights of People of Determination, as well as Dubai’s objectives to empower people of determination.

Visits will also assess the quality of Arabic language teaching and the effectiveness of approaches to learning Arabic, including their impact on students’ progress in reading, writing, comprehension and communication. Assessments will take into account students’ varying levels and learning needs, with particular attention to early childhood.

Under the renewed approach, every eligible private school in Dubai will receive one of two types of quality assurance visits, determined by the data submitted and its stage of development.

The first is a comprehensive visit conducted by a specialist team to assess school performance, the quality of teaching and learning, and students’ experience. It concludes with a detailed report and an overall school rating.

The second is a shorter, more focused follow-up visit that addresses specific areas identified through the school’s data and performance indicators. It concludes with feedback highlighting strengths and opportunities for development, without issuing a new overall rating.

For the first time, schools will receive no more than 24 hours’ notice of either type of visit. This approach helps ensure that visits reflect the everyday reality of school life, providing a more authentic picture of teaching, learning, student wellbeing, and day-to-day operations.

Dubai private schools are rated based on overall performance as Outstanding, Very Good, Good, Acceptable, Weak, or Very Weak.

According to the most recent school inspection cycle, 81% of students in Dubai's private schools receive a Good or better quality of education. No private school in the emirate was rated Very Weak.