Dubai private schools to report pupils who miss five consecutive days without explanation

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Private schools in Dubai must report pupils who miss five consecutive days without a valid explanation under new rules designed to identify children who may be at risk.Schools…

Private schools in Dubai must report pupils who miss five consecutive days without a valid explanation under new rules designed to identify children who may be at risk.

Schools must also alert authorities when unexplained absences account for 10 per cent or more of a pupil's school days in a term, under requirements introduced by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

The measures form part of the KHDA's Policy Framework for Safeguarding and Learner Protection, which places greater responsibility on educational institutions to identify potential threats to pupils' safety and well-being.

Schools must not wait until the reporting thresholds are reached if there are concerns that a child may be at risk. In such cases, staff are required to act immediately and refer the matter to the school's designated safeguarding lead.

The framework requires schools to keep accurate attendance records, investigate repeated or unexplained absences and look for patterns that could indicate a pupil needs additional support or protection.

Schools can introduce stricter attendance monitoring for vulnerable pupils, allowing staff to intervene before they have missed five consecutive days or reached the 10 per cent threshold.

For pupils under the age of 18, schools must follow up with parents, guardians or caregivers to establish why they are absent.

Schools must also monitor repeated short absences during the school day, including frequent visits to the bathroom or school clinic, where these might indicate a safeguarding risk.

The framework also covers universities, vocational training institutions and early childhood centres, although attendance requirements vary according to the type of institution.

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