KHDA to allow Dubai schools to change timings to ease traffic, under conditions

Dubai: Schools in Dubai will be allowed to change their timings to reduce traffic congestion and make the daily commute easier for students and teachers, provided any such change has prior approval and ensures student well-being and parental support, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority has revealed.

Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA, clarified this at a Media Majlis in Dubai on Thursday. She was responding to a question by Gulf News about KHDA's strategy on allowing schools to opt for flexible timings, as some schools in Dubai have begun implementing staggered start times.

She pointed out that KHDA cannot impose uniform timings across Dubai's diverse school sector because curriculums and extracurricular activities (ECAs) differ.

"Different curriculums have different needs, and schools also offer different services and options for ECAs," she said.

Well-being comes first

KHDA will allow schools to change their timings only with prior approval from the authority, provided they meet conditions including prioritising student well-being and considering parents' feedback.

"What we usually say is that when you want to change school timings, you must take student well-being into account," she said.

She recalled instances when schools changed their timings and parents complained. KHDA stepped in, and the schools had to meet certain requirements and revise their timetables.

Walking, cycling, scooters

On the commute itself, Miran said she hopes the Dubai Education Masterplan will help solve the problem.

"We would love to see our kids going to school walking, cycling or on a safe scooter, rather than on electric scooters," she said. Families who prefer to use a private vehicle or the school bus would still have acceptable options.

That, she said, is the ultimate aim, as Dubai's urban plan targets a 20-minute city, where everything is accessible within 20 minutes.

She cited an example of students cycling to their school in a Dubai neighbourhood within the Town Square community.

Hybrid schools

Speaking to reporters on whether new and innovative school models could be allowed, such as hybrid schools that combine face-to-face learning on a physical campus with remote online learning from home, Miran said no approval has been given yet.

She said that KHDA had not approved any such licensing policy, but they were currently looking into innovative licensing requirements.

"We always say Dubai is a test bed for any kind of innovation, and we work on different innovative models," she added. A few more designs of schooling are being considered in Dubai, but they are currently strictly confidential, she said.

Leadership vision

Miran said His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, constantly follows up on the education sector.

"I can reassure you that His Highness believes we should elevate education. Our kids and our grandchildren should not attend the same kind of school we attended," she said.

"So we are open to different models. However, we also need to improve certain parameters, as I said: safeguarding children and ensuring their academic excellence, well-being and self-development. We are going to put the right licensing criteria in place."