Dubai: The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai has stipulated that teachers assigned to Islamic education for Muslim children aged four to six in early childhood institutions must obtain an appointment notification from the authority, authorising them to teach the subject.
The requirement forms part of KHDA’s “Guide to Implementing Islamic Education in Early Childhood”, which sets out requirements covering teacher accreditation, children’s grouping, language of instruction, monitoring of learning progress and documentation of compliance.
Under the guide, every teacher assigned to teach Islamic education to this age group must obtain an appointment notification from KHDA authorising them to do so, regardless of their specialisation or previous approvals. Where one teacher is assigned to teach both Arabic and Islamic education, the notification must explicitly approve them to teach both subjects.
The regulations apply to private schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres in Dubai serving children aged four to six. They cover Muslim Arab and non-Arab children, including people of determination, for whom appropriate educational accommodations must be provided to meet their needs and support their learning.
The frequently asked questions accompanying the guide state that assigning Islamic education to an Arabic teacher must not compromise the teacher’s responsibilities for teaching Arabic and must remain consistent with the workload requirements specified in the relevant teaching policy.
The guide sets Level 3 as the minimum qualification for teachers working in early childhood education and Level 6 for teachers working at the same stage in schools. It allows qualifications in Islamic education, early childhood education, Arabic language and related fields.
Teachers assigned to the subject must be Muslim and possess sufficient subject knowledge to meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education curriculum. Institutions are responsible for verifying teachers’ competence through their approved recruitment procedures and interviews.
The guidelines also stipulate that teachers must have experience appropriate to early childhood development and receive the professional development necessary to teach and care for young children. They must be qualified in the field, trained in early childhood teaching methods or work under the supervision of a teacher qualified at this stage.
If an institution is unable to appoint a teacher who meets the specified qualifications, it must obtain approval from the relevant authority for any alternative arrangement it proposes.
Institutions must implement the learning framework and outcomes approved by the Ministry of Education, incorporate them into official academic plans and document their implementation through teaching plans, learning resources and assessment records. They must also retain evidence demonstrating children’s progress towards the targeted learning outcomes.
Teaching and assessment methods must be appropriate to children’s ages and developmental stages. Institutions must maintain documented evidence showing how children’s progress towards the approved outcomes is monitored. Where applicable, this must include accommodations for children with disabilities and demonstrate how educational planning is linked to their needs.
Language of instruction
Under the guidelines, Muslim Arab children registered with passports issued by Arab countries must be taught in Arabic, while non-Arab Muslim children are taught in the language adopted by the institution.
Parents of children registered with passports issued by non-Arab countries may request that their children join the Arabic-language programme, subject to the institution’s discretion.
Institutions have flexibility to organise Arab and non-Arab children in the same classroom or in separate rooms, provided the designated language is used for each group.
Where one teacher teaches both groups simultaneously, the teacher must have an excellent command of Arabic and a good command of the institution’s other language of instruction to communicate effectively with all children.
Compliance and documentation
Institutions must share their implementation model and the distribution of children into groups with KHDA and parents at the beginning of the year. They must also retain examples of regular communication with families, along with documentation of teachers’ qualifications and appointment notifications, educational plans and assessment methods.
These records serve as evidence of compliance during visits conducted by KHDA, either independently or in partnership with the Ministry of Education. The requirements therefore cover not only teacher accreditation and the organisation of teaching, but also documented evidence of children’s progress towards the approved learning outcomes.
