Abu Dhabi schools 'cannot just reject a student': New education policy ensures inclusivity
Schools must submit proof to ADEK detailing their inability to support a student while ADEK evaluates whether to sustain or reverse the school decision.
Schools must enroll all determined students while reporting any accommodatable student cases to ADEK. The Education Policy Office Director at ADEK Sylvie Wald described it as the inability to accommodate notification.
Schools need to submit written evidence which details their limitations and ADEK's inclusion team will review each case. When ADEK determines that a school can provide necessary support for the student they will reverse their rejection decision and force the school to accept the student.
ADEK would demonstrate how the school could support the student’s needs.
Parents who have difficulties finding appropriate placement options for their children should contact ADEK’s customer happiness centre to receive support. ADEK provides educational pathways for students who struggle in traditional school settings through specialized school placements.
Any institution that does not adhere to the inclusion policy will encounter repercussions. ADEK will initially offer schools an opportunity to comply but warned that non-compliance could lead to fines and escalate to very high stakes.
According to ADEK's recent policy every student with additional learning needs receives inclusion support whether they are diagnosed or not. The expert stated that teachers should implement inclusive practices wherever they identify a need to cater to every child individually and support their unique learning methods.
ADEK has implemented inclusion teachers who possess full educator qualifications instead of support staff to strengthen these initiatives. According to Wald these teachers can either lead classroom sessions or assist in-class alongside teachers to support students who require additional help or collaborate with teachers outside school hours to create personalized learning plans.
The policy update moved to replace old terms with new ones by renaming shadow teachers as inclusion assistants. The regulation allows classroom assistance by assistants only when there is evidence showing students require such help for a minimum of 50 percent of their school day.
Schools must now participate actively in the inclusion process by establishing specialised inclusion teams which will embed inclusion across all school operations. The school must do whatever is possible to support and educate students from their learning standpoint.
ADEK now allows schools to request assistive technology for students who need particular learning tools. Schools with visually impaired students can request ADEK funding for Braille machines according to Wald's statement.
ADEK implemented the inclusion policy as part of 39 new policies launched last September. Schools must meet the new regulations requirements by September 2026.
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