In application of the provisions of this Law by Decree, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:
State: The United Arab Emirates.
Ministry: Ministry of Education.
Minister: Minister of Education.
Educational Authorities: Federal or local government authorities, as the case may be, which are concerned with education affairs in the State.
Child: Every person born alive who has not completed eighteen (18) years of age.
Child Caregiver: The person legally responsible for the child, or the person entrusted with his care by a court judgment.
Citizen: Anyone who holds the nationality of the State in accordance with Federal Law No. (17) of 1972 Concerning Citizenship and Passports and its amendments, or any other law that replaces it.
Resident: Anyone who holds a valid residence permit on the territory of the State in accordance with the legislation in force in this regard.

The provisions of this Law by Decree shall apply to the child caregivers in the State.

1. Education is a right for every citizen or those who are treated as citizens of the State in the education sector by virtue of a decision issued by the President of the State, and the state provides it free of charge in all its stages within the State.
2. Education is a right for every resident of the State, and the resident child caregiver child must enrol him in primary education, in accordance with the controls approved in this regard by the Ministry after coordination with the Educational Authorities.

1. Education for citizens shall be compulsory from the primary stage until the end of school education, and it shall be compulsory for non-citizens until the end of the primary stage.
2. The Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree shall specify the educational system for all stages of school education, its types and levels of study, and the controls necessary for the child's enrolment and transition from one stage to another.
3. Compulsion of education shall be borne by the child caregiver.

The child caregiver is obligated to:
1. Enrol the child in education as soon as he reaches the appropriate age, at the beginning of the school year, and maintain his continuity and regularity in school.
2. Provide the valid identification documents required to enrol the child in school education institutions.
3. Follow up on the academic achievement and behavioural performance of the child, and contribute positively to raising the level of learning outputs.
4. Enrol the disabled child in school education, in accordance with the assessment and diagnosis report of the child's condition issued by the concerned authority and follow up on the implementation of the educational plan and the academic performance of the child.
5. Perform any other obligations to be determined by a resolution issued by the Minister in coordination with the Educational Authorities.

1. The child caregiver shall be exempted from enrolling him in education if any of the following cases:
  A. If the child has a disease or disability that prevents him from studying, provided that it is proven by a medical report approved by a health facility licensed in the State, and in accordance with the controls set by the Ministry or Educational Authority.
  B. The occurrence of an event the child or the child caregiver that prevents the child from enrolling in the educational institution or completing his education.
   C. Separation of the child's from the family book with any of the educational institutions.
   D. Any other cases to be determined by a resolution issued by the Minister in coordination with the Educational Authorities.
2. The Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree shall specify the exemption controls related to Paragraphs (B) and (C) of Clause (1) of this Article.
3. The exemption referred to in Clause (1) of this Article shall be by virtue of a resolution issued by the Minister, and the exemption shall remain in effect for as long as the reason thereof continues to exist. If the reason ceases to exist, the child caregiver shall enrol him in education automatically.

1. If the child caregiver fails to enrol him in school education or does not abide by the period of compulsory education, in accordance with the provision of Article (4) of this Law by Decree, the Ministry or the Educational Authority, as the case may be, shall warn him in writing within five (5) working days as of the date of verifying the fact that the child is not enrolled in education or that the period is not abided by.
2. In the event that the violation stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article continues, for a period exceeding ten (10) working days as of the date of the written warning, the Ministry or the Educational Authority, as the case may be, must notify the Public Prosecution.
3. The Educational Authorities must notify the Ministry of the violations of the child caregiver, each within its jurisdiction.

1. The child caregiver who, after being warned, fails to enrol the child in education in accordance with the provisions of Article (7) of this Law by Decree, shall be punished with imprisonment and/or a fine not less than two thousand (2,000) AED and not exceeding fifty thousand (50,000) AED.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article, the competent court shall obligate the child caregiver of the child to enrol him in education during the period specified thereby.
3. The fine stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article shall be doubled, in the event that the child caregiver fails to enrol the child within the period specified by the competent court.

The Cabinet shall, upon the Minister's proposal and after coordination with the Educational Authorities, issue the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree.

1. The aforementioned Federal Law No. (11) of 1972 Concerning Compulsory Education shall be repealed, as well as any provision that violates or contradicts the provisions of this Law by Decree.
2. The regulations and resolutions issued prior to the enforcement of the provisions of this Law by Decree shall remain in force, without prejudice to its provisions, until the issuance of the Executive Regulation of this Law by Decree and the resolutions that shall replace them.

This Law by Decree shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into force as of 2 January 2023.