The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has revised the minimum age for toddlers starting school in Dubai, in accordance with the UAE Ministry of Education (MoE) Resolution no (24), reported Gulf News. The new notice was issued on February 23 on all KHDA social media channels. It states that a child must be three years old to be enrolled in FS1 (or pre-KG) and four years old to be enrolled in FS2 (KG1) at the start of the academic year. Earlier on, it was possible to start school in FS1 or pre-KG at the age of two, if the child would turn three by the end of December that year.
Now, children enrolling in FS1 or Pre-KG in schools starting in September must be three years old on or before August 31 of that year. Children taking admission in Pre-KG in schools starting in April must be three years old on or before March 31 of that year. Children enrolling in FS2 or KG1 must be four years old on or before August 31 for schools starting in September. Children enrolling in KG1 in schools starting in April must be four years old on or before March 31.
Moreover, children enrolling in Year 1 or KG2 must be five years old on or before August 31 for schools starting in September. Children enrolling in KG2 in schools starting in April must be five years old on or before March 31.
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However, all students currently enrolled at private schools in the UAE are not affected by the change. This includes students who enroll for the final term of the 2020/21 academic year. For schools that start in September, this change will be applicable from the start of the 2021/22 academic year in September 2021. For schools that start in April, this change will be applicable from the start of the 2022/23 academic year in April 2022. The change in the school going age for children was to maintain a consistency in the cut-off dates used by schools in the UAE with those used by schools abroad. In this regard, UK schools in the UAE will now have the same cut-off date as schools in the UK, and international British schools.