UAE Enforce Strict Attendance Rules for Students

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has rolled out stricter attendance rules for the 2025–26 academic year, placing greater responsibility on parents to ensure their children attend school regularly. The new policy, part of the Student Administrative Affairs Policy, sets clear limits for absences and applies to all students across the emirate.

Key Attendance Thresholds

• Kindergarten: Missing more than 10% of the school year (18 days) is flagged.
• Grades 1–12: Missing more than 5% of the school year (9 days) is considered a concern.
  These limits apply to both excused and unexcused absences.

What Counts as Attendance and Absence?

Attendance means being physically present in school on scheduled days.

Absence rate is the percentage of school days missed, calculated against the official school calendar. For students who join mid-year, the rate is measured from their first day of enrollment.

Excused Absences

ADEK recognizes the following as valid reasons for missing school:

• Illness
• Emergency medical appointments
• Death of an immediate family member (first or second degree)
• Official duties, competitions, or events
• Government holidays or closures
• ADEK-approved exam or study leave

Medical Absence Rules

• Parents can submit their own written sick notes for up to 3 consecutive days, capped at 12 days per year.
• From the 4th day onward, a medical certificate from the Department of Health (DOH) is required.
• For chronic illnesses exceeding 12 days, an official DOH medical report must be provided.

Parent Responsibilities

Parents must:

• Inform the school of any absence.
• Provide official documents (medical notes, letters, etc.).
• Ensure their child completes any missed lessons, homework, or exams.
• If documentation is not submitted, the absence will be marked as unexcused.

Unexcused Absences

Some reasons are not accepted, such as:

• Family vacations during school term
• Staying home without informing the school
• Non-urgent medical appointments
• Skipping school due to minor weather conditions

Lateness Matters Too

Schools also track repeated lateness, which may result in action being taken if it becomes a regular habit.

ADEK stressed that “attendance is the foundation of your child’s future success. Being on time and present builds responsibility, protects learning, and helps students thrive.”