DUBAI, 1st October, 2026 (WAM) -- Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has outlined its priorities for the 2026-27 academic year, including raising the performance of schools with high concentrations of Emirati students; strengthening cultural identity and Arabic language; enhancing student wellbeing and protection; empowering parents; expanding access to affordable education options; and developing Emirati talent across the education ecosystem.
During the 2026-27 academic year, KHDA will also continue its efforts to attract international higher education institutions and international students, support research and innovation, strengthen AI literacy, financial literacy and future skills, and expand career readiness and education pathways.
In the two years since the launch of the Education 33 (E33) Strategy, KHDA has introduced more than 20 transformative game changer initiatives and developed 28 policies, guidelines and regulatory frameworks, with a focus on placing learners at the centre of the education journey.
These initiatives and policies cover education quality assurance, future skills, Arabic language education – particularly in early childhood, national identity, inclusive education, teacher wellbeing, digital transformation and artificial intelligence, flexible regulation, and the empowerment of students, educators, and families.
KHDA has also worked over the past two years to support different stages of the learner journey and strengthen the quality, clarity and sustainable growth of Dubai’s private education sector.
The priorities and latest developments were discussed during the KHDA Media Majlis, which brought together KHDA leadership and media representatives to discuss Dubai’s education sector, implementation of Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy, and key initiatives and policies planned for the next phase.
Dubai’s private education sector continues to grow, with 406,563 students enrolled in private schools at the start of the new academic year, compared with approximately 388,731 in June 2026, representing an increase of 4.6%.
The continued growth reflects sustained demand for private education in Dubai and families’ choice of the emirate as a place to live, raise their children and access high-quality education.
Overall, 51 new private educational institutions have opened in Dubai over the past two academic years. Twenty-six new private educational institutions opened this academic year. The new openings include 17 private early childhood centres (ECCs), seven schools, and two international higher education institutions. The new schools added nearly 17,000 new seats, and the new ECCs will add more than 1,700 seats to Dubai’s private education sector.
Approximately 18,000 affordable seats are expected to be added over the next two academic years.
Speaking at the event, Aisha Miran, Director General of KHDA said: “Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy is the compass that guides our work and sets out where we want Dubai’s education ecosystem to be by 2033. Two years since its adoption, we have made important progress, but our ambition extends further. We want its impact to reach every student, family, teacher, and educational institution in Dubai.
“Every initiative we launch, policy we develop and partnership we build contributes to an education ecosystem that responds to the needs of learners, develops their skills, strengthens their identity and expands opportunities, while supporting Dubai’s global competitiveness.”
She also emphasised the important role of the media in keeping families and communities informed, bringing the issues that matter to society into the conversation, and helping build greater understanding of developments across the education sector.
She added: “The Media Majlis reflects our commitment to maintaining an open and continuous dialogue with the media and sharing our progress, priorities and next steps clearly.”
Media representatives also received updates on key achievements and news at the event.
Dubai’s private schools ranked among the world’s top 10 education systems across all PISA 2025 assessment domains. The performance of Emirati students also improved by 31 points in mathematics, 30 points in science and 18 points in reading, reflecting progress in student outcomes and the continued development of Dubai’s education system.
As quality assurance visits to private schools resume during the current academic year, KHDA will continue to apply high performance standards through a regulatory approach that is clear, fair, consistent and supportive of educational institutions.
The 2026-27 academic year will also see the formation of the second cohort of the Dubai Students Council, alongside the introduction of the first Dubai Parents Council and the first Dubai Educators Council. The councils will provide students, parents and educators with a platform to contribute to the development of the education sector and help shape the learner journey.
Empowering parents is a key pillar of Dubai’s Education 33 Strategy.
Since E33 was adopted, KHDA has organised more than 20 parent awareness sessions, reaching over 5,000 parents and covering topics such as positive parenting, family resilience, digital safety and supporting children during periods of stress.
KHDA will also continue to develop programmes and services under the City of Students game-changer initiative to enhance the experience of higher education students studying in Dubai. The initiative aims to attract more international students, talent and global institutions while supporting research, innovation and knowledge creation across the emirate.
Dubai’s private education landscape has recorded annual growth of 4.6% across early childhood education, schools and higher education over the past three academic years.
Eleven new higher education institutions have opened over the past three years, alongside a 29% increase in enrolment.
Two globally recognised universities are opening in Dubai this academic year. Peking University HSBC Business School will launch its MBA and EMBA programmes, ranked 47th globally in the QS rankings, in January 2027, while the American University of Beirut’s Dubai campus opened in September 2026, further strengthening Dubai’s position as a global hub for higher education and research.