Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has rolled out new guidelines for hiring and regulating teachers in private schools, marking a significant step in improving education standards across the emirate.
The Technical Guide for Appointing Teaching Staff and the Staff Deregistration Technical Guide will ensure schools hire qualified professionals while holding educators to clear codes of conduct.
The new Technical Guide for Appointing Teaching Staff applies immediately to all new and transferring teachers in Dubai’s private schools. It sets out clear qualification requirements that include KHDA-approved education, experience, and conduct standards.
Schools are now required to apply for an Appointment Notice for every teacher and school leader, formalising their commitment to a specific school and is required again if a teacher moves to another private school in Dubai. This replaces the Appointment Letter that KHDA had previously issued.
To reduce mid-year disruptions, teachers who resign during a school term must wait 90 days before starting a new job at another Dubai private school. This does not apply to teachers who complete their notice period at the end of a term.
In another first, all teachers leaving a school must complete a KHDA Exit Survey, giving feedback that will help track and address turnover trends.
The guide also requires educators to undergo mandatory induction training before starting work. This covers safeguarding, inclusion, UAE values, and professional ethics, and every teacher must sign a Code of Conduct.
Alongside these measures, KHDA has also released the Staff Deregistration Technical Guide, which applies to all KHDA-regulated institutions, including private schools, early childhood centres, universities, and vocational institutes. This policy sets out how serious misconduct or repeated violations of professional standards will be handled.
Deregistration means an individual is formally prohibited from working in any KHDA-approved education setting. Serious breaches, such as child protection failures, criminal convictions, or gross professional misconduct, can lead to immediate deregistration. Other issues, including inappropriate social media use, repeated dishonesty, or culturally insensitive behaviour, may also result in deregistration if they are serious or recurring.
KHDA says regular training in ethics, safeguarding, and professional conduct will be expected of all education staff, ensuring that Dubai’s schools remain safe, inclusive, and supportive spaces for children and families.