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Abu Dhabi bans 12 private schools from enrolling grades 11, 12 students amid inflation probe
The crackdown by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) aims to ensure that high school grades are a genuine reflection of student performance and learning quality
- PUBLISHED: Tue 15 Jul 2025, 7:50 PM
- By:
- Nandini Sircar
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In a move to uphold academic integrity, the UAE capital’s education regulator has temporarily barred 12 private schools in the emirate from enrolling students in Grades 11 and 12.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge's (ADEK) decision, follows the launch of a wide-ranging review targeting grade inflation and inconsistencies in academic records.
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The crackdown — part of Phase One of ADEK’s new compliance initiative — aims to ensure that high school grades are a genuine reflection of student performance and learning quality.
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According to ADEK, the review was triggered by red flags raised through internal quality assurance mechanisms, which detected discrepancies between students’ internal school grades and their performance on external benchmark exams.
“These measures are essential to protect the integrity of student qualifications,” ADEK said. “Grade inflation not only misrepresents student learning, it also undermines trust in the education system and limits fair academic competition.”
As part of the initial phase, the 12 affected schools must now submit detailed academic records for all Grade 12 students. This includes transcripts, grading frameworks, assessment samples, and documentation of graduation requirements.
The goal is to identify patterns of grade inflation, inconsistencies in awarding credits, and any mismatch between reported grades and actual student performance.
ADEK emphasised that each student should earn their graduation credential through genuine academic achievement — not through inflated scores or unreliable internal assessments.
What’s next?
The ongoing review will soon expand to cover Grades 9 through 11. Future phases will also compare internal grades with external test results and look at longer-term trends to detect potential systemic issues across schools.
Schools found non-compliant may face further administrative action, including mandatory corrective measures, under ADEK’s regulatory policy.
