In Abu Dhabi, it is mandatory for parents of students enrolling in private schools to sign a parent-school agreement before their child begins classes, as well as each year during re-enrollment.
This agreement should clearly define the responsibilities of both the school and the parents and requires parental acceptance of all school policies, as stated by the Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek).
Parents are vital collaborators in their children’s educational journey. It is crucial to establish an open and cooperative environment that allows parents to actively engage in their child’s learning and be part of the school community. This policy lays down the basic requirements that schools must implement to ensure parental involvement, as both educators at home and members of the school community.
All educational institutions are required to adhere fully to this policy by the start of the 2025/2026 academic year (first semester). Schools that fail to meet these guidelines will face legal repercussions and potential penalties.
Code of Conduct for Parents
To encourage a positive environment, schools expect parents to adhere to a specific code of conduct:
Parents should actively support the school’s vision, mission, and values by nurturing a respectful, professional, and cooperative relationship with the school community, which includes staff, students, and fellow parents. They are urged to demonstrate appropriate behavior, communicate constructively, and address any issues or disagreements calmly and respectfully.
To sustain a positive learning environment, parents should avoid making culturally insensitive or derogatory remarks, particularly on social media, in addition to following school policies that align with UAE’s cultural values and legal standards.
Parents share the responsibility for their child’s academic success and wellbeing in conjunction with the school. This entails ensuring regular attendance and punctuality, adhering to academic calendars, promoting academic integrity, and collaborating with school staff concerning additional academic support when necessary. Parents should remain actively involved by tracking their child’s performance, attending meetings when requested, and maintaining open and supportive lines of communication with the school to foster their child’s continuous development.
Failure to comply with these expectations may result in parents being asked to leave school premises or being denied access.
Involvement in Child’s Learning
Adek has outlined several initiatives that schools should pursue to enhance parental engagement in their child’s learning and development. Communication between parents and staff must always remain respectful, professional, and easily accessible. Parents should have direct contact with their child’s teacher to monitor academic progress and engage with any staff members involved in providing additional support.
Teachers are expected to keep parents informed about any academic or behavioral issues so that they can collaboratively support the student. Schools are required to send digital performance reports to parents and provide opportunities for meetings between parents and teachers at least once every term.
Additionally, schools should encourage learning activities at home to foster interaction between parents and students.
Involvement in Child’s Wellbeing
Parents should be invited to contribute suggestions for enhancing their child’s wellbeing at school.
They are encouraged to provide healthy, balanced meals and snacks for their children, while schools should promote sustainable nutrition practices. Parents must be aware of dietary restrictions and refrain from sending prohibited food items.
Schools will keep parents informed about their mental health policies. This includes notifying parents when a teacher or counselor identifies a need for counseling, clarifying confidentiality and consent requirements, and explaining the process if consent is not given.
Parents should be encouraged to actively support their child’s involvement in extracurricular activities and participate in their digital learning experiences, which includes helping them navigate responsible use of digital devices after school. Schools will inform parents about the maximum permitted weight for students’ backpacks.
Parental Involvement and Notification
The education department stressed the importance of schools maintaining communication with parents through newsletters, phone calls, text messages, emails, letters, online platforms, and meetings.
Schools must ensure timely and appropriate payment of school fees as approved by the education department, without adding VAT. Additionally, schools must obtain parental consent before sharing any student information with third parties.
Schools are obliged to inform parents about their duty of care to protect students and act as mandated reporters. This includes reporting any suspicious situations, such as frequent unexplained absences or a student being withdrawn from school without cause, as potential maltreatment cases to the relevant authorities.
Schools should inform parents about their bus services and communicate obligations related to drop-off and pick-up protocols, authorized individuals, parking, and transportation not provided by the school.
Each school is required to implement a mass notification system to quickly update parents on emergencies. Schools must also keep records of all correspondence with parents in compliance with Adek regulations.