Abu Dhabi Schools Reopen After Undergoing Intensive Safety Compliance Inspections

Over 200 compliance inspections were carried out across the emirate between 15 to 26 August by ADEK’s Health and Safety team, with 221 No Objection Certificates issued

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 28 August, 2021: The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has conducted more than 200 compliance inspection visits to Private and Charter Schools across the Emirate of Abu Dhabi to ensure their readiness to safely welcome students back to in-class education for the Academic Year 2021/22.

Over an intensive two weeks, ADEK’s Health and Safety team conducted inspection visits to 221 Abu Dhabi schools who successfully received a No Objection Certificate to reopen.

Ahead of the Academic Year 2021/22, the emirate’s Private and Charter Schools were advised of mandatory adherence to a comprehensive health and safety compliance checklist in order to obtain a No Objection Certificate permitting their reopening. 

Schools that failed to meet the strict compliance protocols were given three calendar days to rectify areas of non-compliance before being visited again by ADEK’s Health and Safety team, and were offered three opportunities to establish readiness. 

Had any schools failed their third compliance inspection they would have been denied the option to reopen for face-to-face learning, and would have been required to return school fees to parents who could have opted to transfer their children to an alternative school.

Once operational, Abu Dhabi schools are required to submit daily compliance self-check reports to ADEK and are regularly inspected by ADEK’s compliance inspectors. Fines for non-compliance violations range from AED 10,000 to AED 250,000.