KHDA’s new guide promotes inclusive education

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

Parents of private school students in Dubai can now access a new guide dedicated to informing and empowering them in their journey of inclusive education. The new publication released by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) provides information about parents’ rights and responsibilities and empowers them to be effective advocates for their children.

Fatma Belrehif, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Schools Inspection Bureau at KHDA, said, “Our schools have embraced inclusive education and we have ensured that parents are fully informed and able to make the right choices. The new guide is an important step in realising Dubai’s aspirations to become one of the most inclusive cities in the world.”

The guide provides comprehensive parent support checklists that are important points of reference for parents as they work together with schools to achieve inclusive education.

“Parents are the experts on their children. They hold unique knowledge and must be empowered to work in partnership with schools to develop and implement effective systems of support for their children.  Enabling parents to have access to information that empowers them to choose the right school for their children and promoting access to inclusive education will bring significant benefit to all students in Dubai private schools,” added Belrehif.

The guide is the latest in a series of inclusive education publications released by KHDA as part of Dubai’s education strategy. The first publication, Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework, launched in 2017, was a key accelerator of the ‘My community… a city for every one’ initiative.

Six steps towards inclusive education include selecting an inclusive school for your child, your child’s participation in an Entry Assessment of Need, identifying barriers that restrict your child’s learning, implementing support to lower barriers to learning, developing an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for your child and establishing an Individualised Service Agreement  and communicating about and contributing to your child’s education.

KHDA’s Advocating for Inclusive Education is a new guide to help parents better understand their legal rights and responsibilities when it comes to finding the right school for their child. It also includes insights on becoming more effective advocates for their children at school.

This guide is designed to enable parents become better informed and more confident as they navigate the best way forward for their children of determination.