Dubai bans Arabic teachers from teaching Islamic Education without separate KHDA approval

Dubai: Arabic language teachers in Dubai must obtain separate approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) before they can teach Islamic Education to Muslim children aged four to six, regardless of their qualifications or previous teaching approvals.

The requirement is outlined in KHDA's Guide to Implementing Islamic Education in Early Childhood, which sets out rules governing teacher qualifications, subject knowledge and teaching methods appropriate for young children.

The authority said teachers assigned to Islamic Education must hold a KHDA-issued appointment notification explicitly authorising them to teach the subject, regardless of their specialisation or any approvals previously granted, Emarat Al Youm reported.

Where one teacher is responsible for both Arabic and Islamic Education, the notification must explicitly approve the teaching of both subjects.

The guide also establishes requirements for approving teachers, grouping children, determining the language of instruction, monitoring learning progress and documenting compliance to ensure teaching quality and the achievement of approved learning outcomes.

The rules apply to private schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres in Dubai catering to children aged four to six. They cover Arab and non-Arab Muslim children, including children of determination, for whom appropriate educational accommodations must be provided to meet their needs and support their learning.

Frequently asked questions accompanying the guide clarify that assigning Islamic Education classes to an Arabic language teacher must not interfere with their Arabic teaching responsibilities. The arrangement must also comply with the workload requirements set out in the Arabic language education policy guide.

Teacher qualifications and approval requirements

The guide sets Level 3 as the minimum qualification requirement for teachers in early childhood education settings and Level 6 for teachers working with the same age group in schools.

It permits qualifications in Islamic Education, Early Childhood Education, Arabic and related disciplines.

Teachers assigned to Islamic Education must be Muslim and possess sufficient subject knowledge to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education curriculum. Educational institutions must verify their competence through their approved recruitment procedures and interviews.

The guide also requires teachers to have experience appropriate to early childhood education and to receive the professional development necessary for teaching and caring for young children.

Teachers must be qualified in early childhood education, trained in teaching methods appropriate to the age group, or working under the supervision of a teacher qualified in early childhood education.

Where an institution is unable to recruit a teacher who meets the specified qualifications, it must obtain KHDA approval for any alternative arrangement it proposes.

Teaching standards and monitoring progress

Educational institutions must implement the learning framework and outcomes approved by the Ministry of Education and incorporate them into their formal academic plans.

They must also document implementation through lesson plans, learning resources and assessment records, retaining evidence of children's progress towards the prescribed learning outcomes.

Teaching and assessment methods must be appropriate to children's ages and developmental stages.

Institutions are required to maintain documented evidence showing how they monitor progress towards the approved outcomes, including accommodations for children of determination where applicable, and ensure educational planning is aligned with their needs.

Language requirements for Arab and non-Arab children

Under the guide, Arab Muslim children registered with passports issued by Arab countries must receive Islamic Education instruction in Arabic.

Non-Arab Muslim children must be taught in the language of instruction approved by their educational institution.

Parents of children registered with passports issued by non-Arab countries may request that their children join an Arabic-language teaching group, subject to the institution's discretion.

The guide gives institutions flexibility to organise Arab and non-Arab children into groups within the same classroom or in separate classrooms, provided each group receives instruction in its designated language.

Where one teacher teaches both groups simultaneously, they must have excellent proficiency in Arabic and a good command of the other language of instruction to ensure effective communication with all children.

Compliance records and inspections

The guide requires institutions to share their implementation model and the allocation of children to teaching groups with KHDA and parents at the beginning of the academic year.

They must also retain examples of regular communication with families, along with documents verifying teachers' qualifications, appointment notifications, educational plans and assessment methods.

These records will serve as evidence of compliance during inspections conducted by KHDA independently or jointly with the Ministry of Education.

The requirements make institutions responsible not only for securing teacher approvals and organising Islamic Education classes, but also for demonstrating the progress children achieve in their learning.