Private schools cannot reject special needs children: ADEK

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has confirmed that private schools in Abu Dhabi do not have the option to refuse to enrol students with additional earning needs under any circumstances, provided the school has the capacity to accommodate them in the appropriate year group.

- Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

This aligns with the principles of Federal Law No. 99 of 2006 on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its subsequent amendments. The Schools Policy on Inclusion, with which all schools must comply by the start of the 2025-26 academic year, states that school admission procedures must give priority to students with additional learning needs and their siblings attending the same school.

Parents are also required to provide original copies of any clinical assessment reports conducted by relevant specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists or paediatricians, and provide any accommodations required by students to complete the assessment process.

These assessments may not be used as a reason for refusing enrolment; using all available information to ensure safe and equitable access to learning and physical environments for students with additional learning needs; and defining “the school’s incapacity.”