The United Arab Emirates has enacted a significant reform to its educational admission framework, announcing a pivotal shift in the age eligibility criteria for school entrants. Effective from the 2026-2027 academic year, the deadline for children commencing KG1 in institutions with a September intake will be extended from August 31 to December 31.
This policy revision, ratified by the Education, Human Development, and Community Development Council, directly addresses a longstanding predicament faced by families. The previous August cutoff frequently placed children born in the subsequent months in an educational limbo—deemed too advanced for nursery programs yet ineligible for formal schooling, consequently forcing them to forfeit an entire academic year.
The announcement has been met with profound relief and widespread approval from the parent community across the Emirates. Mousa Abdelkarim, a Jordanian expatriate, revealed he was contemplating relocating his family abroad to prevent his son from falling behind academically. He expressed immense gratitude, stating the change resolves a severe family dilemma and prevents an unnecessary separation.
Echoing this sentiment, Mariam, a mother from Sharjah, celebrated the decision despite wishing for its earlier implementation. Another parent, Khawla from Ajman, hailed it as the ‘best decision,’ empathizing with the struggles of numerous mothers whose children had previously lost a year.
The educational sector has strongly endorsed the move. Fatima Al Ram, a kindergarten teacher in Dubai, affirmed the decision is unequivocally in the best interest of a child’s holistic development. She emphasized that access to kindergarten is crucial for nurturing social, mental, and physical skills from an early age.
The reform is the culmination of extensive public discourse and official deliberation, including a proposal from the Federal National Council (FNC). FNC member Saeed AlAaabdli had previously highlighted the challenges for parents of children born in the year’s final quarter. The new policy is viewed as a responsive and community-centric measure, designed to standardize admissions, ensure fairness across various curricula, and facilitate smoother student transitions between schools, without impacting current enrollees.