The number of Dubai private school teachers has grown by 17.5% over the past three academic years, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) said as it opened the 2026-27 school year with virtual town halls for more than 8,000 educators across the emirate’s private schools, early childhood centres and higher education institutions.
Council to give Dubai private school teachers a formal voice
The 2026-27 year will see the launch of the Dubai Educators Council, a 15-member body that will give teachers a dedicated platform to contribute to policy and programmes shaping education in the emirate. KHDA said the council will draw on educators from different backgrounds and stages of education, sitting within its broader community-participation agenda under the Education 33 (E33) Strategy.
KHDA Director General Aisha Miran hosted the town halls and sent personal welcome letters to educators at private schools, early childhood centres and higher education institutions. She described teaching as a profession whose reach extends well beyond the classroom.
‘Teaching is one of the most important and noble professions because its impact extends far beyond the classroom,’ Miran said. ‘Behind every young person who discovers a talent, finds their confidence, or begins to believe that something greater is possible, there is often an educator who saw that potential first.’
Miran told educators that Dubai’s education ambitions could not be realised through strategies and policies alone. ‘To every educator beginning this academic year in Dubai, thank you for choosing to invest your talent, energy and care in our learners,’ she said.
A sector that has grown sharply on both sides of the desk
The growth in teacher numbers reflects wider expansion across the sector. KHDA’s figures for the 2024-25 academic year show 27,284 teachers employed in Dubai’s private schools, a 9% increase on the previous year. Student enrolment reached 387,441 across 227 private schools, up 6% year on year.
Ten new private schools opened during 2024-25, part of an E33 Strategy target to establish at least 100 new private schools by 2033. E33 also aims to place Dubai among the world’s top 10 cities for education by that year, aligned with both the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and the Dubai Social Agenda 33.
Growth in private higher education has been sharper still. KHDA’s higher education data for 2024-25 shows enrolment at KHDA-regulated private institutions rose 20% to reach 42,026 students across 41 institutions, the highest figure recorded. Emirati student enrolment grew by 22%, and international students make up 35% of the total. The 41 institutions collectively offer 706 programmes.
Educators at the town halls were encouraged to invest in their own professional development and, for those new to the UAE, to deepen their understanding of the country’s culture, heritage and values. KHDA also set out its expectations on professionalism, integrity, safeguarding and learner wellbeing.
The authority’s Technical Guide for Appointing Teaching Staff in Private Schools, last updated in September 2025, provides a unified framework intended to raise teacher quality and reduce mid-term staff turnover.
Professional development running alongside growth
KHDA has also been expanding its engagement with educators outside the classroom. The Dubai Learning Summit 2026, held on 9 February 2026 in partnership with KHDA, drew more than 400 educators and covered topics including the ethical use of technology, data protection and the integration of artificial intelligence in education. It was the first time the New England Association of Schools and Colleges hosted such a summit in the UAE.
Since E33 launched in October 2024, KHDA has introduced more than 12 Game Changer initiatives under the strategy. The second edition of E33 CoLabs, held in November 2025, brought together more than 200 participants from across the private education community, from early childhood through to higher education.
The Dubai Educators Council is expected to begin its work during the current academic year, with its 15 members drawn from across the private education community.
