The UAE has introduced a new work permit for teachers offering private tuition.
The work permit will be mandatory for registered teachers, private sector employees, and even teenage school students offering paid private tuition services outside of schools and colleges.
Private tutors offering lessons without the permit face fines from UAE ministries.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) have introduced a new Private Teacher Work Permit in an effort to enhance the education process, regulate the provision of private lessons for students outside educational institutions, and curb haphazard practices in the sector.
The new permit allows a range of different groups of specialised and qualified professionals from the community to offer private lessons for students, individually or in groups.
Beneficiaries include registered teachers in government or private schools, employees in the government and private sectors, unemployed individuals, school students aged 15 to 18, and university students.
Dr. Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al-Mualla, Undersecretary for Academic Affairs of the Ministry of Education in the UAE, said the Private Teacher Work Permit “aims to ensure the stability of the educational system and provide flexible options for students and parents that meet their needs and aspirations while maintaining discipline, quality, and efficiency in the educational process.”
He added: “The introduction of a permit for individuals qualified to provide private lessons will help curb illegal and unregulated practises when recruiting private teachers, which risk affecting the learning process as a whole.
“The new permit, which aligns with international best practises in the field, is a joint effort between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and serves to establish a legal framework that regulates private lessons at the national level, protects the rights of private teachers, and ensures that students receive supplemental education that meets their learning style and needs.
“We will continue to work with our partners to advance and develop the education process, in line with our commitment to providing a safe, supportive, sustainable, and stimulating learning environment.”
Khalil Al Khoori, Undersecretary for Human Resources Affairs at MoHRE, said: “Introducing the Private Teacher Work Permit forms part of the Ministry’s commitment to meeting present-day requirements and catering to new and emerging specialisations and professions.
“The objective is to ensure these professions are practised within an organised legal framework that ensures fairness, protects the rights of all parties, and enhances ease of doing business.”
Al Khoori called on those looking for private lessons in the UAE to only hire professionals authorised to offer these services and to meet their financial obligations as agreed between the two parties.
Eligible applicants can submit a request for the Private Teacher Work Permit through the MoHRE smart application, website, and e-services system.
The permit is granted free of charge for two years. This allows qualified individuals who meet the conditions and criteria and who are granted the permit to offer private lessons and generate direct income, provided they sign a “code of conduct” document approved by the Ministry.
Individuals offering private lessons without a permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation will be subject to fines and penalties outlined in the Federal Decree-Law Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships, its executive regulations, the decisions regulating them, and all applicable laws in the UAE.
