The UAE is a progressive country that has emphasized a lot on education of the new generation, for which it has introduced a modern and updated education system. UAE is an Arab country but with different nationalities residing here. Now, we all understand that it is a multicultural place where people from different cultures and nations reside together, and the needs and beliefs of every being are different from one another. This is the fact that every individual here has a different mindset regarding their kids’ education
Education laws are critical matters, and these laws are organized and implemented everywhere, including the UAE, while respecting cultural and family values.
The UAE has recently announced a new update in its education system. New rules were set, paying importance to parental consent in the welfare of their children. These rules and laws highlight the approval for imposing major changes in schools. Under this law, parental consent is made necessary for co-education, where boys and girls study together.
The New Reform in the Education Law
The new educational law in the UAE has made schools and every educational institute obliged to get explicit parental approval for making any major changes in the school or their teaching methods.
This law emphasizes more on co-education system. Schools cannot implement any change without informing parents and obtaining their consent.
Parents should have to be fully aware of all the changes happening in their kids’ school so they can know what type of environment their kids are exposed to in the school. They must be made aware of the following matters:
- Changes in their kids’ grade levels
- Changes in class arrangements
- Subject selection
- Supervision policies
Parents’ confirmation consent should be documented either by sending the form to them or through the respective digital platform or portal of the school. The school management is also obliged to maintain and respect the cultural, social, and religious expectations of families because every family living in the UAE follows a different culture and religion.
The new reforms are meant to promote a balanced, inclusive, and modern education system in the UAE, along with honoring the values of the society.
Schools that fail to get parental approval can face severe penalties according to the law. This can also cause conflicts with the families and damage to the school’s reputation.
What are the Parental Approval Requirements?
Parent approval requirements under the new law primarily focus on the co-education system, but it also apply to other important educational decisions, which include the following:
- Schools cannot shift from single-gender classes to mixed-gender classes without informing parents.
- They cannot make any change without the parents’ consent and permission.
- If the school changes its policies, parents must be notified about it
- When boys and girls participate in shared learning activities, schools should tell the parents and make them aware of the activities
Why did the UAE introduce the New Parent Decision Law?
The UAE introduced new parental approval rules so that families can always stay involved in major decisions about their children’s education. It will also build trust between the school and the parents. Under this law, parents can decide what kind of learning environment is best for their child.
Authorities Involved in Regulating the Approval
The new parental approval requirement is supervised by two main education authorities in the UAE:
- The Ministry of Education (MOE)
- The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA)
These two regulators keep a check to make sure that schools follow the correct procedures before switching from single-gender education to co-education.
They check and review the school procedure, if they have properly informed the parents or not. They also analyze how the school authorities informed the parents and how they collected their consent.
These authorities also monitor how schools arrange and implement the changes. They make visits to schools to check class arrangements and the supervision policies. They also check how the parents are updated about their child’s future.
The lawyers in Dubai are also involved if things go out of the course. Schools are allowed to seek advice from legal experts, including education law firms and lawyers, because it is necessary for them to stick to the law to avoid penalties and the closure of their educational institute.
The Process of Parental Approval That Education Institutions Must Follow
Schools and educational institutions in the UAE are required to follow a structured process to seek parental approval for the change they are planning to make in the school.
They should inform the parents early about the proposed changes by sending initial notifications and highlighting all the details.
Schools must also offer written documents explaining why they are bringing this change and what benefits kids can avail from this.
The next step involves the consultation with the parents. The educational institution organization must schedule meetings with the parents. They should also organize any other form of sessions as per their convenience to answer the queries of the parents.
The last step after all these include a final and formal consent in the written form. The form should be signed by parents to clarify their approval in all these changes. If not a written documents, then there should be proof of digital confirmation from the parents.
This procedure to obtain the parent’s consent for any change in school is necessary so that parents are informed how their child are taught in school and how it will impact their physical interaction with classmates and other people.
Many institutions also work with education lawyers and legal consultants to make sure that the approval process meets UAE regulatory standards and does not cause any legal troubles in the phases of their learning system.
Effect of Changes on School & Students’ Lives
A single change or shift from one system to another is not as easy as it seems. It has a direct impact on schools in the UAE.
Private and international schools that currently operate as single-gender institutions or have separate class system for each gender must plan the transition carefully. They need to consider many things when they opt to change the structure of their institute. This includes not only the parents’ expectations but also the cultural sensitivities, and their own educational vision.
If the school fails to obtain parental approval through proper procedure as mentioned by the authorities, it will definitely lead to legal penalties but with all this, they will also face the loss of trust, and can also cause major damage to the school’s reputation.
Students can also suffer from the decision because it will affect their daily environment and learning experience.
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The Benefits of the Co-education System
Co-education, on its side, has several benefits for the learners. It can improve their interaction with opposite genders, improve their communication skills, promote the essence of teamwork, and provide them an exposure to diverse perspectives.
It also prepares students for mixed workplaces and global settings in the future. However, the fact is that the students must also be informed about the coming shift in their environment. Proper preparation and mental readiness are both needed long before making any change because, without this, students may feel uncomfortable and resistant to the change.
Now, it is the school’s responsibility to prepare kids for the sudden change in their learning system. They should teach them about adapting to the new changes and adjusting to the new environment.
Final Words
The new parental approval requirement that the UAE has updated in its education system was meant necessary so the parents can know in what type of environment their children are studying and how it can affect their learning capabilities. Parents should be made aware of every change in the school so they can make better decisions for their kids’ future.
The update in the education system highlights the country’s movement to promote its education system and provide a respectful education system for the new generation. The UAE plans to modernize its learning environment more along with respecting the families’ decisions in the coming future.
