Private schools in Dubai must report pupils who miss five consecutive days without a valid explanation under new rules designed to identify children who may be at risk.
Schools must also alert authorities when unexplained absences account for 10 per cent or more of a pupil's school days in a term, under requirements introduced by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
The measures form part of the KHDA's Policy Framework for Safeguarding and Learner Protection, which places greater responsibility on educational institutions to identify potential threats to pupils' safety and well-being.
Schools must not wait until the reporting thresholds are reached if there are concerns that a child may be at risk. In such cases, staff are required to act immediately and refer the matter to the school's designated safeguarding lead.
The framework requires schools to keep accurate attendance records, investigate repeated or unexplained absences and look for patterns that could indicate a pupil needs additional support or protection.
Schools can introduce stricter attendance monitoring for vulnerable pupils, allowing staff to intervene before they have missed five consecutive days or reached the 10 per cent threshold.
For pupils under the age of 18, schools must follow up with parents, guardians or caregivers to establish why they are absent.
Students aged 18 and over should be contacted directly, with their families involved only if they consent or there is a risk of harm.
Schools must also monitor repeated short absences during the school day, including frequent visits to the bathroom or school clinic, where these might indicate a safeguarding risk.
The framework also covers universities, vocational training institutions and early childhood centres, although attendance requirements vary according to the type of institution.
Universities and vocational and technical training providers are not automatically subject to the five-day and 10 per cent reporting thresholds. Instead, they must establish their own benchmarks to reflect different patterns of study, including part-time courses, evening classes and distance learning.
Early childhood centres must calculate absences according to the days each child is individually enrolled to attend, rather than the centre's overall operating calendar.
Procedures for missing pupils
Educational institutions must also have written procedures setting out what staff should do if a pupil cannot be accounted for during the school day.
Such incidents must be escalated immediately to safeguarding personnel and school leaders, with parents and relevant authorities notified as appropriate.
Schools offering boarding facilities face additional requirements, including the appointment of a residential safeguarding lead and deputy and the introduction of appropriate supervision arrangements.
Existing boarding staff must complete Level 2 safeguarding training within three months, under the framework.
The attendance rules are intended to ensure that unexplained absences are not treated solely as an administrative or disciplinary matter, but are also recognised as a possible warning sign that a child is experiencing difficulties or may be at risk of harm.
