Explained: When can students face permanent expulsion or disciplinary transfer in UAE schools?

Dubai: The Ministry of Education has approved a comprehensive Student Behaviour Code for the current academic year, outlining 46 categorised violations and corresponding disciplinary measures, according to Emarat Al Youm. 

The new framework classifies student misconduct into four levels of severity, each with clearly defined infractions and intervention procedures. 

The ministry emphasized that the initiative is part of its effort to "foster a values-based learning environment" and to ensure that schools remain safe, respectful, and conducive to learning.

The first tier outlines 11 minor violations, including habitual tardiness to class or morning assembly without valid excuses, failure to wear the official school uniform, inappropriate hairstyles, and neglecting to bring textbooks or school supplies.

Other minor breaches involve disruptive behaviors like making inappropriate noises in class, sleeping during lessons, or misusing digital devices to play games or listen to music during instruction.

Teachers are instructed to begin with verbal warnings, escalate to written notices, and, in repeated cases, deduct points from the student’s behavior grade. Parental involvement and behavioral monitoring may follow if misconduct persists.

Level two addresses more disruptive or socially concerning behaviors such as unexcused absences, leaving class without permission, inciting or threatening fights, and expressions that conflict with societal norms, including gender impersonation or cultural defiance.

Possession or misuse of mobile phones, smoking on school premises, and verbal abuse toward peers or staff are also listed.

Disciplinary actions include point deductions, temporary suspensions, and repeated written warnings. 

Students may also be referred to a school behavior committee for formal evaluation. In cases of repeated misconduct, disciplinary transfers to other schools are permitted.

Eleven violations are marked as serious and include bullying in all forms, cheating or impersonation, fleeing school during instructional hours, and the destruction of school or bus property.

Other infractions include unauthorized photography or sharing of images involving students or staff and physical assaults that do not cause serious injury.

Students found engaging in these actions face immediate suspension, psychological or behavioral intervention, and mandatory parental conferences. Repeat offenses can lead to mandatory transfer to another school, with continued behavioral tracking.

The final and most critical category identifies 13 grave offenses, ranging from sexual or violent assaults resulting in injury, possession or use of weapons, and drug abuse or trafficking, to arson, organized theft, and the dissemination of extremist ideologies.

Other red-flag offenses include the leaking of exam questions and religious or political defamation.

The ministry mandates immediate suspension in such cases, along with seizure of involved materials and referral to legal or security authorities. Permanent expulsion or disciplinary transfer may also follow, based on official rulings.