The future of education quality: A new decision from Dubai regulates school inspections starting from 2026

Dubai has announced a pause on private school inspections for the upcoming 2026 academic year, with the exception of schools in their third year of operation, which will continue to undergo inspections, according to recent reports.

This decision is part of a broader strategy aimed at enhancing educational quality in the emirate and follows a similar suspension from the current academic year.

Dubai School Rating Inspections

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) noted, "We will maintain oversight of school performance through targeted visits that focus on specific areas of educational quality and development. These visits will be based on feedback from the school community and aligned with the priorities of the Education 33 strategy."

Fatma Ibrahim Belrehif, CEO of the Education Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency at KHDA, stated, "Dubai’s private schools have consistently shown resilience, innovation, and a strong commitment to the learning and well-being of students. The temporary suspension of inspections next year will foster greater collaboration and reflection on how we define and promote quality in education."

During this period, schools will be required to complete self-evaluation forms to assess their progress.

Currently, Dubai is home to 227 private schools serving approximately 387,441 students from 185 different nationalities.

The private education sector has seen remarkable growth, with student enrollment increasing by 12 percent for the 2023-24 academic year and further rising by 6 percent the following year.

The launch of new schools and consistent enrollment growth aligns with the Education Strategy 33, which aims to establish at least 100 new private schools by 2033.

In a related development, the KHDA recently permitted private schools to increase fees by up to 2.35 percent for the next academic year, based on the newly approved Education Cost Index (ECI) for profit-making schools for the 2025-26 academic year.

This decision results from the annual review of audited financial statements submitted by private schools in Dubai, in collaboration with the Digital Dubai Authority. The ECI considers operational costs necessary to maintain a high quality of education, including staff salaries, support services, and rental expenses.

KHDA has communicated the requirements for fee adjustment requests to all private schools and has established that eligible for-profit schools must apply for an increase that does not exceed the approved ECI. Schools that have been operating in Dubai for less than three years are not eligible for a fee increase.

All applications will undergo a review process by KHDA to ensure compliance with the established criteria for fee adjustments.