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Al Etihad
08-07-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
ADEK: Abu Dhabi schools must be compliant with fees policy by start of 2025/26
9 July 2025 00:54 TAARIQ HALIM (ABU DHABI)From the start of the 2025/26 academic year, all schools in Abu Dhabi are required to be compliant with the Department of Education and Knowledge's (ADEK) 'School Policy on Fees'.Aiming to ensure that fee structures are reasonable, transparent, and protect both the schools and the families, the policy stipulates, among others, that schools allow up to 10 tuition fee payments in an academic year, and do not prevent students from sitting for any examinations in response to late or non-payment of school schools may suspend a student for up to three days if school fees are not settled timeously, but only after issuing the three consecutive warning results, report cards and transfer certificates may also be withheld by schools, according to the policy. Transparency During the registration process, schools are required to break down the ADEK-approved school fees into the specific components, such as tuition fees, educational resource fees, uniform fees, transportation fees, extracurricular fees, should clearly identify separate board examination must disclose, in writing, complete information on fees, refund policies, deadlines for requesting refunds, and other related relevant information to parents during the registration are also to submit clear and accurate applications for approval to increase their school fees, according ADEK's strict guidelines and timelines. Schedules Schools must publicly share detailed fee payment schedules on their websites and are authorised to enter into agreements/contracts with parents on adhering to their fee payment terms of the schedules, 'schools shall enforce three or more equal tuition fee payment installments (e.g., 3, 4, or 10 installments) in each academic year'.Schools are authorised to collect the first installment up to 1 month before the beginning of the first are allowed to charge registration fees capped at 5% of their ADEK-approved tuition fees, and may collect registration fees up to 4 months before the beginning of the academic year. Late or Non-Payment of Fees According to the policy, schools must honour the right of parents to a fair and reasonable payment system, without penalties. Schools must also maintain confidentiality and discretion on late payment or non-payment issues to protect students from unwanted attention and a response to unpaid fees, schools are to issue parents with '3 consecutive warning notices, each being at least 1 week apart'. Schools will then be authorised to suspend a student for up to 3 days, for at most once a school are allowed to withhold examination report cards, transfer certificates (or block a transfer on eSIS), and withhold re-enrolling a student until all outstanding dues on school fees are shall inform parents in writing at least three months before the end of the academic year of the risk of their child not being re-enrolled in the next academic year unless outstanding fees are schools shall not prevent students from taking exams. Compliance Schools must report information regarding the source of tuition fee payments (e.g., parents, relatives, charity, companies), as well as any other payment-related information upon request, in line with the ADEK School Reporting School Policy on Fees was effective at the start of the 2024/25 academic year, but schools are expected to be fully compliant with this policy when the first term of 2025/26 commences. ADEK warns that failure to comply with the policy will be subject to legal accountability and penalties. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Gulf Insider
01-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
New Policy: Abu Dhabi Schools Can Halt Operations For Up To 3 Years
The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has confirmed that private schools in the emirate may temporarily suspend operations for a minimum of one academic year and up to a maximum of three academic years, subject to prior approval from the Department. The revised school licensing policy, now available on ADEK's official website, provides detailed guidance on the temporary closure process and associated responsibilities. According to the policy, any school intending to temporarily close must submit a formal request addressing four key components: The reason for closure The proposed date of closure (which must coincide with the end of the academic year) Proposed arrangements to facilitate the transfer of students to other schools Submission of the request no less than six months before the academic year concludes Once ADEK grants approval, the school is required to inform all stakeholders—including staff and parents—within seven days. If a school remains closed for longer than three academic years, its licence will be automatically revoked. To resume operations, it must apply for a new licence. Permanent closure is also permitted, provided the school submits a formal cancellation request to the Department. Schools granted approval for temporary closure must meet the following eight obligations: Fulfil all legal and contractual obligations towards staff, parents, students, and external parties Obtain all required legal and financial clearances Settle outstanding dues to staff in accordance with contract terms and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation's regulations Refund any unearned fees to parents Remove any transfer restrictions on students through the Electronic Student Information System (eSIS) Cancel staff work permits via the Private Schools Staff System (PASS) at least 20 working days prior to closure Submit all student records and files to ADEK within 20 working days of the closure date Provide parents with their children's academic reports and transfer certificates In the case of voluntary permanent closure, schools must formally request the cancellation of their licence in accordance with ADEK's policy. If a school wishes to resume operations after a temporary suspension, it must reapply and fulfil all licensing requirements. In instances of non-compliance, ADEK may enforce a forced closure and revoke the school's licence, as stipulated in its compliance policy. As outlined in Article (8) of the Private Schools Regulatory Framework—introduced under Executive Council Resolution No. (26) of 2013—ADEK issues three categories of licences for private schools: A Provisional Licence may be issued to new schools upon submission of a complete and compliant application, in line with the Private Schools Policy and Guidelines Manual. This licence is valid for one academic year and may be renewed once, subject to the school's adherence to its approved operational plan and any additional conditions imposed by ADEK. Schools seeking to renew their Provisional Licence must apply at least 60 days before the licence expires. ADEK may inspect the school to assess its progress. Notably, the provisional period cannot extend beyond one academic year from the commencement of educational activities. This updated policy came into effect in the first term of the 2024/2025 academic year. Full compliance is expected by the beginning of the 2025/2026 academic year. Schools are required to obtain a General Licence within two years of starting operations. This licence, valid for two years, is granted to schools that have undergone inspection and received a minimum rating of 'acceptable.' Renewal applications must be submitted at least 60 days prior to expiry, and ADEK reserves the right to conduct inspections as part of the review process. An Accredited Licence may be issued following a comprehensive inspection and evaluation by ADEK or an authorised third party. To qualify, a school must meet ADEK's minimum accreditation standards. This type of licence is valid for up to five years. The Director General of ADEK is authorised to revoke any type of school licence—Provisional, General, or Accredited—at any time if the institution fails to comply with the requirements set out in Executive Council Resolution No. (26).
Gulf Today
01-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
Abu Dhabi private schools can suspend operations for up to 3 years after providing valid reasons
Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has affirmed that private schools are permitted to temporarily suspend their operations for a period of at least one academic year and up to three academic years, provided they obtain approval from the department. ADEK clarified that schools opting for temporary closure (1-3 years) must adhere to the requirements outlined in the department's licencing guide. Schools exceeding the maximum temporary suspension period of three academic years will have their licences automatically revoked by ADEK. In such cases, schools must reapply for a licence if they wish to resume operations. Regarding permanent voluntary closure and licence revocation, schools have the right to cease operations permanently after submitting a request. ADEK emphasised that schools seeking temporary or permanent closure must submit an application meeting four requirements: the reason for closure, the proposed closure date, arrangements to facilitate student transfers to other schools, and submission of the application at least six months before the end of the academic year. Additionally, schools must also notify relevant parties, employees, and parents within seven days of receiving ADEK's approval. ADEK outlined additional closure requirements including fulfilling all legal and contractual obligations toward employees, parents, students, and external parties, obtaining legal and financial clearances, paying all dues to employees in accordance with contract terms and Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation requirements, refunding any unearned fees collected from parents, lifting transfer restrictions on the Student Data System (eSIS) and cancel work permits for school staff on the Private School Staff Data System (PASS) at least 20 working days before closure, submitting all student records and files to ADEK within 20 working days of closure and providing relevant student reports and transfer certificates to parents. For permanent voluntary closure, schools must apply for licence revocation in line with this policy. ADEK further explained that under the licencing policy, schools permitted to resume operations must reapply for a licence whose approval depends on the school meeting ADEK's requirements. In cases of forced closure and licence revocation, ADEK may require a school to cease operations in accordance with its policy, leading to licence cancellation. The department affirmed that this policy came into effect at the start of the 2024/2025 academic year (first semester).
