Did You Know 21
KHDA
Capacity & Access SCHOOLS EXPAND TO MEET A GROWING CITY When the Ministry of Education shifted the school entry age cut-off from August 31 to December 31, effective from the 2026–27 academic year, it set off a chain reaction across the UAE’s early years sector. Children born between September and December - previously too young for FS2 - are now eligible a full year earlier, sending demand for Foundation Stage 2 and Grade 1 places soaring almost overnight. KHDA moved quickly to clarify Dubai’s position: schools must comply with the federal legislation, and children born between September 1 and December 31, 2021 - who missed out on the 2025–26 year can register for FS2 or Year 1 for 2026–27. But with popular schools already reporting full classes and some parents left without confirmed placements, the regulator has also emphasised that schools and families should work together to assess individual readiness acknowledging that not every child eligible by date is necessarily ready by development.
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SPEA
Enrolment Growth SHARJAH HITS 251,000 K12 ENROLMENT AND COUNTING Sharjah’s Private Education Authority (SPEA) has confirmed that K–12 enrolment across the emirate has reached 251,000 students, driven by sustained expansion in the private school sector. The figure reflects Sharjah’s growing reputation as a family-first emirate - one where the density, affordability, and quality of schooling options continue to attract families from across the region. For SPEA, the milestone is both a point of pride and a mandate: as more families choose Sharjah for its schools, the regulator’s oversight role becomes ever more critical to ensuring that growth does not outpace quality.
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