Schools can create safe and respectful spaces for students’ personal and academic growth by setting clear guidelines for behavior and promptly addressing any concerns.

Educational institutions play a vital role in creating a safe and positive learning environment. All forms of corporal punishment are strictly prohibited in schools across the country, ensuring that students feel safe from physical punishment and abuse.

Promoting positive behavior is a priority, especially when addressing student misbehavior. However, private schools in Abu Dhabi are prohibited from using the following methods to discipline students:

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Schools must establish a student behavior policy that outlines acceptable corrective actions, ensuring that they are proportionate, age appropriate and aligned with disciplinary guidelines. What are schools allowed to do when disciplining a student?

Schools should ensure that their misconduct policy and procedures distinguish between different levels of misconduct. Not all levels of misconduct warrant expulsion from out-of-school activities. However, certain offenses classified as levels two, three, and four may result in a student being removed from school.

Deviation levels

Level two offenses include leaving or entering the classroom without permission, failing to participate in mandatory school events without an acceptable excuse, and engaging in physical fights or bullying peers. Additional offenses include causing minor damage to school property, using phones without permission and verbally abusing members of the school community. Possession or use of tobacco products, refusal to follow safety instructions.

Level three offenses include harassment, intimidation, harassment or abuse of any member of the school community, including defamation on social media. Other offenses involve fabricating documents, impersonation and academic dishonesty such as cheating or plagiarism. Also included are leaving school premises without permission, vandalizing school property and activating fire alarms or fire extinguishers. Additional violations include vandalizing the school bus, assaulting others without causing injury, reckless driving on school grounds, and capturing or distributing staff or student information without consent.

Level four offenses include using communication tools for illegal or immoral purposes that bring the school and its community into disrepute. Other offenses include possessing or distributing weapons, committing sexual assault or harassment, and assaulting others causing injury. Also included are stealing, capturing or sharing illegal content, leaking exam questions, and setting school property on fire. Insulting UAE political, religious or social figures, using or distributing alcohol and drugs, promoting culturally inappropriate ideas, engaging in illegal digital activities and trespassing on school premises after school hours are serious offences. Harassment or persistent harassment, including defamation on social media.

Schools must have clear, step-by-step disciplinary procedures for dealing with student misbehaviour. Although schools may exercise leniency in applying disciplinary measures, they retain the right to follow the procedures described below.

First time – written warning: The student must sign a commitment not to repeat the crime. Summon the parent, who must sign an agreement to support their child in reform.

Second time – on-the-spot suspension: Suspend the student for up to two days and assign supervised study assignments inside the school, notifying the parent accordingly. Also inform both the student and the parent of a second written warning. The parent must sign an undertaking to support the agreed strategy for student reform by the Behavioral Management Committee (BMC).

Third time – on-the-spot suspension: Suspend the student for up to three days and assign supervised study assignments inside the school. Issue a final written warning to both the student and the parent. Notify the board to complete a plan to address the student’s behavior. The parent must sign an agreement to support the proposed strategy.

More than 3 times – expulsion: Immediate out-of-school suspension of the student pending the conclusion of the investigation for up to five days, with notification to the parent.

The committee will evaluate the evidence and determine a set of final disciplinary measures, which may include expulsion. If the student continues to repeat the offense after these measures, the school can apply for expulsion to Adek. The application to Adek must include evidence that all the previous steps have been followed, together with evidence that it has provided appropriate support and advice in line with the behavioral strategy.

Agent Paul

Ajanta Paul is senior editor of the Digital team. A natural leader and news hound, she thrives in breaking news and high-pressure situations – and enjoys reporting on community issues that matter to UAE residents.