As Dubai schools start a new academic year after the long summer break, government and private schools across the emirate have introduced tighter procedures to improve attendance, reduce classroom distractions and ensure students follow school behaviour rules.

For parents, the biggest changes involve mobile phone restrictions, attendance monitoring and stricter action against repeated violations.

Mobile phones face tougher restrictions in Dubai schools

Schools are placing greater emphasis on keeping personal mobile phone use out of the classroom.

Students found using phones for non-educational purposes can face confiscation and disciplinary action, with parents notified of violations.

School leaders say the objective is not to remove technology from education, but to ensure that digital devices are being used for learning rather than entertainment or communication during lessons.

Educational platforms, tablets and computers can still be used when authorised by teachers for activities such as accessing digital textbooks, completing assignments or participating in classroom exercises.

Repeat phone violations could mean longer confiscation

At some schools, repeated violations can result in significantly longer confiscation periods.

Some schools hold a mobile for one month following a first violation. A repeat offence can lead to the device being confiscated until the end of the academic year.

Parents are notified as part of the disciplinary process.

Schools closely tracking student attendance

Attendance monitoring has also been strengthened.

Schools are recording attendance at class level to identify repeated absences, lateness and unusual patterns before they begin affecting academic performance.

This includes repeated missing of a particular subject or class period.

The approach allows school teams to contact families early, investigate the reasons behind absences and provide support or intervention where necessary.

Unjustified absence capped at 5 days per semester

Schools have reminded families that regular attendance is essential for maintaining learning continuity and academic achievement.

The attendance guidance circulated to students and parents sets a limit of:

5 days of unjustified absence per semester

15 days of unjustified absence during the academic year

Schools are paying particular attention to days when absenteeism can traditionally increase, including:

• Fridays
• Days before and after official holidays
• The period immediately before final examinations
• The final two weeks of the second semester

Parents urged to monitor attendance and phone use

Repeated absence or behavioural violations can trigger a gradual process involving monitoring, warnings, parent communication, counselling and administrative action.

Schools are also distinguishing between justified and unjustified absences, while considering the circumstances behind repeated attendance problems.

Teachers are the first line of monitoring

Teachers are responsible for recording attendance and identifying classroom violations, but school leaders say they should not be expected to handle repeated cases alone.

School management, student affairs teams, specialists and parents all have a role in addressing recurring problems.

Electronic attendance systems are also being used to speed up monitoring and reduce the amount of classroom time spent on administrative procedures.

What Dubai parents should remember

The start of the 2026-27 school year comes with a stronger focus on attendance, punctuality, classroom discipline and responsible technology use.

Parents should check their child’s school policy on:

Mobile phones — when they can be carried or used and what happens after a violation.

Attendance — how absences must be reported and what counts as justified absence.

Punctuality — procedures for repeated late arrivals.

Classroom behaviour — consequences for repeated violations.

Educational technology — which devices and platforms students can use during lessons.

School timings — arrival, departure and transport arrangements.

For students and families, the message from Dubai schools is increasingly straightforward: be in class, be on time and keep personal phone use out of the learning environment.