Abu Dhabi schools to follow MoE's new age limit for kindergarten

Ever since the Ministry of Education (MoE) issued a ruling revising the minimum age limit for kindergarten starters to three years and eight months, there has been much confusion about when this will come into play.

Many schools in Dubai have already finalised the list of new recruits for the next academic year, starting May and September 2014, overlooking this new ruling. This has, however, left parents uncertain about its implications on their children's future.

“We’ve already got a slot in a reputed Indian school in Dubai for our three-year-old. She starts in April, but does this new rule mean she will have to wait another year?” asks Rajeev R, a parent.

He adds that the school was unable to give him any conclusive answer over his daughter’s admission.

When Emirates24|7 contacted the Dubai education regulatory authority, they claimed that they were yet to receive any confirmation from the MoE.

“We still haven’t received any order from the ministry. Until such time, we will leave it to the discretion of the schools,” stated an official.

The Abu Dhabi education board, however, had already informed schools about the change in limit, which they informed will kick-start this academic year.

The Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC) confirmed that all schools in the emirate have been informed about the MoE rule.

“All Abu Dhabi schools have been notified of the new admission age changes,” stated an official at ADEC’s Private Schools and Quality Assurance Sector.

“The new ruling is for 2014-2015 and applies for all schools without exceptions.”

The official added that the schools were informed verbally, and asked to follow the guideline until it was announced officially.

“Parents and schools enrolling children for the first time in KG1,KG2 and grade 1 need to follow the new age set for such grades, and any continuing students can continue as per old admission age and without disturbance to the student’s academic continuity.”

According to media reports, the MoE ruling states that starting January 2014, the admission age for Kindergarten 1 (KG1) or Foundation Stage 2 (FS2) will be from three years and eight months.

The new regulation will be enforced starting from January 1, 2014 for Bangladeshi school; March 1 for Asian schools; and September 1 for schools following the Ministry of Education (MoE) and other curricula.

Earlier, the minimum age of admission was set at three years for KG 1 and equivalent grades.

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