UAE: New shool attendance rules for 2025-26 academic year; Key details every parent must know

With over a million students back in classrooms across the UAE since August 25 after a two-month summer break, the Ministry of Education has approved a sweeping set of attendance regulations effective from September 1. The new policy introduces a stringent absence monitoring system , reinforced by a real-time parent notification process, in a move that signals a sharp focus on academic consistency and student welfare for the 2025–26 academic year.
Stricter attendance policy now in effect
The Ministry of Education formally announced a new attendance and absence framework on Monday, September 1, introducing five major regulations aimed at reinforcing regular student attendance in all UAE schools for the 2025–26 academic year.

Key provisions include:

• Immediate Parent Notification: If a student misses a school day without an excuse, parents will be notified the same day.
  
• Warning System: An automatic warning is triggered after just one day of unexcused absence.
  
• Escalation to Authorities: If a student accumulates 15 unexcused absences, their file, along with their guardian's details, will be escalated to relevant authorities, including external child protection agencies.
  
• Academic Consequences: Students with more than 15 unexcused absences in a year may be required to repeat the academic year.
  
• Fridays and Holidays: Absences on Fridays or the days before or after official holidays will be counted as two days.
  
  

The policy defines a maximum of five unexcused absences per term, capping the annual total at 15 days. Parents who receive absence notifications have the right to appeal within five working days.

Exceptions are in place for students with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Schools are now mandated to create individualised support plans for students prone to frequent absences. These must include educational and psychological support, regular parental communication, and initiatives to encourage attendance.
Back to school – A national operation
The rollout of the new attendance framework comes as the UAE began the 2025–26 academic year on Monday, August 25, marking the return of over one million students to schools nationwide. Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri confirmed the country’s full readiness for the academic year, backed by extensive infrastructure and staffing enhancements.

Readiness measures included:

• 9 new public schools opened across different emirates to accommodate growth, offering modern facilities and capacity for 25,000+ students.
  
• 465 existing schools underwent maintenance to ensure infrastructure safety and functionality.
  
• 830 new teaching and educational staff were hired across various disciplines to bolster academic delivery
  
• 46,888 laptops distributed to students as part of the ministry's ongoing commitment to digital education.
  
• Over 10 million textbooks printed and delivered before term began.
  
• A fleet of 5,560 school buses deployed to manage transportation needs across the country.
  
  

These efforts are part of a national strategy to align education delivery with 21st-century learning standards while ensuring accessibility and operational efficiency.

Revised exam and assessment system
Alongside changes in attendance, the Ministry has implemented substantial reforms to its academic evaluation system for the current year. Centralised second-semester exams have been fully cancelled, signalling a shift towards school-based, personalised assessments.

New assessment structure:

• Grades 1–4: Evaluated through continuous assessments, focusing on tracking individual academic progress throughout the year. Teachers are expected to adapt their instruction based on student needs and performance.
  
• Grades 5–12: Students will now undergo school-led summative assessments in the second semester. However, centralised exams will still take place during the first and third semesters.
  
  

The reforms aim to optimise learning time, reduce pressure on students, and align assessment methods with updated educational goals. The ministry highlighted that these changes are intended to enhance academic quality, promote well-being, and ensure fairer evaluation standards tailored to individual student growth.
AI curriculum and early Arabic and Islamic education

Further enriching the education landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced as a formal subject across all public schools from kindergarten to Grade 12. The curriculum spans seven core areas, including AI fundamentals, algorithms, ethics, and real-world application. To support this, 1,000 teachers have been specially trained and deployed nationwide.

Meanwhile, a new national standardized proficiency test will assess students from Grades 4 to 11 in Arabic, English, and Mathematics, starting with 26,000 participants. Additionally, private kindergartens are now required to teach Arabic, Islamic Education, and social studies to instill cultural identity from early years. These reforms are part of a broader push to equip students with critical future-ready skills and strengthen national values.