Behavior is a graded subject in UAE schools. It carries 100 marks, the pass mark is 60%, and a student who fails it at the end of the year has their certificate withheld until a school committee decides what happens next. Most parents discover this only when a deduction notice comes home.
The rules come from Ministerial Resolution No. 851 of 2018 on the Code of Behaviour Management for Students in General Education Institutions, and the definition it uses for “general education institution” is governmental or private. Article 3(2) then tells the other education authorities, meaning KHDA in Dubai and ADEK in Abu Dhabi, to treat the Code as a minimum when applying their own behavior regulations. This guide sets out the four violation levels and their exact mark deductions, when a school can suspend, transfer or expel, the escalation that must happen before any serious sanction, and the grievance window that closes after five working days.
Behavior Is a Subject, Not a Note in the File
Article 4 treats behavior as one of the core subjects reflecting the student’s educational and moral outcomes, and it is handled like any other subject for pass and fail purposes. The 100 marks split in two:
| Component | Marks | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Positive behavior | 80 | Awarded automatically to every student at the start of each term, then reduced by deductions for violations |
| Distinguished behavior | 20 | Earned across three areas: personal development, respect for religious values and Emirati and world cultures, and social responsibility, leadership and innovation. Scored out of 100 and divided by 5 |
Two details in Article 4 change how a bad term should be handled. First, deductions are recoverable: a student may be given the chance to compensate all or part of what was deducted from positive behavior, by improving the distinguished-behavior score or by not repeating the violation, with the compensation decided by the Behavior Management Committee and entered before the mark is finalized. Evidence of the improvement has to be recorded and kept in the student’s file. Second, the rubric rewards things parents can influence directly, including a school attendance rate of not less than 98%, punctuality, and appearance and personal cleanliness without needing to be reminded.
Article 3 also limits scope by age. The Code applies from Grade 3 to Grade 12 and to continuing-education learners. Kindergarten through Grade 2 falls under a separate guidance framework, so a mark deduction against a six-year-old is outside this Code.
The Four Violation Levels and What Each Costs
Article 7 classifies violations by seriousness and attaches a fixed deduction to each level. This table is the part of the Code parents most need and least often see.
| Level | Deduction | Examples from the Code |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1, minor | 4 marks each | Repeated lateness to assembly or class without an acceptable excuse, uniform breaches, unusual haircuts, not bringing books and equipment, sleeping in class, eating during lessons, missing homework deadlines, misusing tablets or wearing headphones in class |
| Level 2, medium | 8 marks each | Unexcused absence including around holidays and before exams, leaving or entering class without permission, inciting a fight or threatening classmates, breaching public decency or dressing and appearing as the opposite sex, writing on school furniture or bus seats, playing with the alarm or lift, bringing a mobile phone or misusing communications, verbal abuse of students, staff or guests, smoking on school grounds, refusing to comply with a search or hand over prohibited items |
| Level 3, serious | 12 marks each | Bullying in all its forms, plagiarism of homework or projects, leaving school without permission, defaming classmates or staff on social media, impersonation or forging school documents, damaging school property or buses, physical assault not causing injury, reckless driving around the campus, photographing or circulating images of students or staff without their permission |
| Level 4, very serious | Fail in the behavior subject, or permanent expulsion | Weapons on campus, sexual assault or harassment at school, on the bus or during activities, physical assault causing injury, planned theft, drugs or psychotropic substances, arson, leaking exam questions, unlawful or unethical use of communications or social media against the school or others, promoting extremist ideas, insulting religions or the country’s political, religious or social symbols, and bringing or circulating unlicensed material offending public order and morals |
Every level ends with a catch-all clause allowing the Behavior Management Committee to treat similar conduct at the same level, so the lists are illustrative rather than exhaustive. Where a student commits more than one violation at the same time, Article 17(9) requires the school to apply the procedure for the most severe of them rather than stacking deductions.
The cumulative triggers most parents miss
Deductions do not just reduce a score. Once accumulated Level 1 deductions reach 10 marks or more, the school must open an individual case study file on the student. For Level 2 violations the threshold is 20 marks or more. That file is what later justifies referral to external behavior assessment bodies, so a run of uniform and lateness violations is not as harmless as it looks.
The Escalation Ladder Before Anything Serious Happens
Article 8 sets a graduated response rather than immediate punishment, and Article 17(4) makes it explicit: the school is fully obliged to apply behavior modification and reinforcement measures before taking any punitive step. For a Level 1 violation the sequence is verbal warning on the first occasion with the incident documented, written warning and written notification to the parent on the first repetition, then on the second repetition a parent summons the next day, referral to the academic counselor or social worker, and a written undertaking signed by both student and parent, with two marks deducted. A third repetition brings the full four-mark deduction and a written warning. Beyond three repetitions the Behavior Management Committee convenes the next day, an individual case study file is opened, and the committee, not the teacher, decides on suspension and deductions.
For Level 3 violations the escalation moves faster. A repeat brings immediate suspension from study off school premises for the duration of the investigation, an immediate committee meeting to decide on suspension until the end of the term and referral to a behavior assessment body for the second and final time, and an immediate parent summons. If the behavior still does not correct, the student is transferred to another school as a disciplinary measure. For government schools that decision is made by the Assistant Undersecretary for School Operations; for private schools it is made by the Assistant Undersecretary for Supervision, which is the Code addressing private schools directly.
A Level 3 first offense carries a suspension of not more than three weeks with immediate parent summons and signature on the decision, plus referral to a specialist body with progress reports.
What Happens on a Level 4 Violation
The Code treats Level 4 as a matter that leaves the school’s hands. On commission, the principal, deputy or behavior officer must notify the Ministry’s Legal Affairs Department and the competent authorities. The parent is informed and the student is suspended immediately, within a maximum of two working days, pending completion of the investigation, and the suspension may continue until the legal investigation concludes by decision of the Undersecretary for Academic Affairs for General Education.
The Behavior Management Committee then meets immediately, prepares an explanatory memorandum with the evidence, and refers it upward. It can issue a decision of either a fail in the behavior subject or permanent expulsion, depending on the gravity of the violation. Any instruments used in the violation must be secured immediately for handover to the security authorities.
Some Level 4 conduct is also a criminal offense in its own right, and the Code preserves that: Article 17(1) applies without prejudice to criminal liability under the relevant penal laws. Posting defamatory or offensive material about classmates or staff, for instance, sits in the Code at Levels 3 and 4 and simultaneously in the cybercrime law, where the exposure is set out in our guide to what UAE social media law treats as an offense.
The Safeguard That Applies to Every Serious Sanction
Article 17(2) is the provision to quote if a school announces a serious sanction on its own authority. Where the student’s act is a Level 4 criminal offense, or requires suspension for more than two school days, or results in a transfer to another school, a fail in the behavior subject, or permanent expulsion and deprivation of study, the Behavior Management Committee must raise the matter by explanatory memorandum with supporting evidence to the Undersecretary for Academic Affairs for General Education, who issues the decision and refers it to the competent authority in coordination with Legal Affairs. The parent must be notified of all measures taken.
In other words, a school cannot lawfully impose more than a two-day suspension, a transfer or an expulsion by itself. Those decisions require ministry-level sign-off. Article 17(6) reinforces the point from the other end: no corrective measure may be taken against a student except through the Behavior Management Committee, on referral from the principal.
Who sits on the committee
Under Article 14, the Behavior Management Committee is chaired by the school principal, with the deputy or academic deputy as vice-chair, and includes the academic counselor or social worker. It handles parents’ complaints and grievances, audits the award of behavior marks, approves behavior modification procedures for any student failing the subject, and completes the process of releasing the certificate after those measures are carried out. The Code requires it to keep certain matters confidential and to exclude members with a direct relationship to the students involved.
The Grievance: Five Working Days, Then It Is Gone
Article 13 gives students and parents a formal right of challenge against a committee decision, on Form 19 of the Resolution. The timetable is short and unforgiving.
| Step | Deadline |
|---|---|
| File the grievance with school management, by email, telephone or by hand | Within 5 working days of being notified of the committee’s decision. After that it cannot be filed |
| School decides, confirming or amending, and informs the parent | No more than 3 days |
| If the school does not reply in 3 days, or the parent rejects the reply, escalate to the School Operations Sector | Sector decides within a maximum of one week; the school must submit a report on the violation |
| The Sector’s decision, once approved by the Undersecretary for Academic Affairs for General Education, is final | No further internal appeal |
Practical consequence: the clock starts when you are notified, not when the sanction takes effect, so a parent who spends a week negotiating informally with a head of year can lose the right to grieve entirely. Put the grievance in writing on day one even if you are still talking, and use the Form 19 wording, which asks for the grievor’s name, the student’s name, class and section, and the subject of the grievance.
Powers Schools Have That Parents Do Not Expect
Three provisions in Article 17 surprise families.
- Searches, metal detectors and phone jammers. Article 17(13) allows the school to search students and school property where there is convincing reason to believe prohibited items are being carried, observing the rules on physical searches, and permits the use of metal detectors and ministry-approved mobile phone signal jammers at random places and times.
- Refusing to sign changes nothing. Under Article 17(3), if a parent refuses to sign or does not attend, that is recorded on the same document in the presence of the academic counselor and the safety officer, and their two signatures are taken as proof the parent was informed.
- You pay for the damage. Article 17(7) obliges the student and the parent to pay the cost of repairing or replacing anything the student damaged, lost or spoiled, valued against supporting documents.
The Code also reaches beyond the gate. Article 17(11) lets a supervising staff member take disciplinary measures for behavior around the school grounds, on the school bus to and from school, and during trips or official visits, which is why a bus incident is handled exactly like a classroom one.
Students of Determination and Individual Plans
The Code defines “student” to expressly include people of determination and those with special needs, and its behavior provisions run alongside the individual education plan. Where a student of determination does not benefit from the behavior modification programs applied to them, the route is transfer to another suitable environment through a specialist committee at the Ministry’s special education support centers, with approval from the Special Education Department, rather than the ordinary disciplinary ladder. Where a behavior modification plan already exists, it must be reviewed and amended to address the conduct that led to the violation. Families navigating that overlap will find the wider picture in our guide to disability support in the UAE for relocating families.
Where the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Position Differs
This is the point where precision has to give way to an honest caveat. Article 3(1) applies the Code to all general education institutions, and the Code’s own definitions cover government and private schools. Article 3(2) then directs other education authorities to be guided by the Code as a minimum when applying their own behavior regulations.
Practically, that means a KHDA-licensed school in Dubai or an ADEK-licensed school in Abu Dhabi operates its own published behavior policy, which cannot fall below this floor but can be stricter in structure and can differ on process detail such as which regulator hears an appeal. Article 16 assigns the Supervision Sector responsibility for verifying compliance across general education institutions and reporting annually, and the Performance Improvement Sector is tasked with evaluating student welfare services in all general education schools, government and private.
Before relying on any specific deadline here, ask your school for its own behavior policy in writing and for confirmation of which authority hears an appeal beyond the school. That policy is also the document a school must give you: Article 16’s principal duties include informing the student and parent of the Code’s provisions and any amendments to it. If you are choosing a school, the behavior policy is worth reading alongside the KHDA inspection rating and the practical items in our guide to enrolling children in Dubai schools.
What to Do When a Sanction Lands
Work in this order. Ask for the violation report and the committee decision in writing, and note the date you were notified, because that date starts the five working days. Establish which level the school says the violation falls into and check the deduction against the table above, since a Level 2 event carrying a Level 3 deduction is a straightforward challenge. Ask whether behavior modification and reinforcement measures were applied first, as Article 17(4) requires. If the sanction is more than a two-day suspension, a transfer, a behavior fail or an expulsion, ask to see the referral to the Undersecretary that Article 17(2) requires, since the school cannot make that decision alone.
Then file the grievance in writing regardless of how the conversation is going. If the outcome is a move to a new school, whether disciplinary or by choice, the timing and documentation traps are covered in our guide to moving schools mid-year in Dubai and the transfer certificate. And if the underlying issue is that formal schooling is not working, what the homeschooling rules actually say sets out the legitimate alternative.
FAQ
Can a private school in the UAE expel my child?
Permanent expulsion exists as a sanction for Level 4 violations, but the school cannot impose it alone. Article 17(2) of Ministerial Resolution 851/2018 requires the Behavior Management Committee to refer any expulsion, transfer, behavior-subject fail or suspension longer than two school days upward by explanatory memorandum with evidence to the Undersecretary for Academic Affairs for General Education, who issues the decision in coordination with Legal Affairs. Ask to see that referral.
How long can a school suspend a student?
It depends on the level. A first Level 3 violation carries a suspension of not more than three weeks. A repeat Level 3 violation brings immediate suspension for the duration of the investigation and possible suspension until the end of the term. A Level 4 violation brings immediate suspension within a maximum of two working days pending investigation, extendable until the legal investigation concludes by decision of the Undersecretary. Any suspension longer than two school days requires the Article 17(2) escalation.
How many marks does a school violation cost?
Four marks for each Level 1 minor violation, eight for each Level 2 medium violation, and twelve for each Level 3 serious violation, deducted from the 80 marks of positive behavior every student is credited with at the start of each term. A Level 4 violation produces a fail in the behavior subject or permanent expulsion. Where several violations occur at once, the school applies the procedure for the most severe rather than adding them up.
What happens if my child fails the behavior subject?
Under Article 4(6), the certificate is withheld and the case goes to the Behavior Management Committee, which studies it individually and sets the measures, place, duration and evaluation date for behavior modification to be carried out during the summer holiday, with a report back to the committee. Completing those measures and passing the evaluation is what releases the certificate and allows progression to the next stage.
How long do I have to appeal a school’s decision?
Five working days from the date you were notified of the Behavior Management Committee’s decision. After that the grievance cannot be filed. The school must decide within no more than three days, and if it does not reply in that time or you reject the reply, you can escalate to the School Operations Sector, which must decide within a maximum of one week.
Does the behavior code apply to primary school children?
It applies from Grade 3 to Grade 12 and to continuing-education learners. Kindergarten through Grade 2 is treated as a separate category subject to its own guidance framework rather than to this Code’s violation levels and mark deductions.
Can a school search my child or confiscate a phone?
Yes. Article 17(13) permits searches of students and school property where there is convincing reason to believe prohibited items are being carried, subject to the rules governing physical searches, and allows the use of metal detectors and ministry-approved mobile signal jammers at random times and places. Bringing a mobile phone or misusing means of communication is itself a Level 2 violation, and the Code has dedicated forms for confiscating and returning electronic devices.
Does the school’s authority stop at the gate?
No. Article 17(11) allows a supervising staff member to take disciplinary measures for negative behavior around the school grounds, on the school bus travelling to and from school, and during trips and official visits, according to the level of the violation. Several listed violations, including damaging bus property or harming the driver or supervisor, are framed around the bus specifically.
Am I liable for damage my child causes at school?
Yes. Article 17(7) obliges the student and the parent to pay the value of repairing or replacing whatever the student damaged, lost or spoiled, with the amount determined against supporting documents and invoices. Damaging or vandalizing school furniture, facilities or buses is separately a Level 3 violation carrying a twelve-mark deduction.
What if I refuse to sign the school’s paperwork?
Refusing to sign does not stop the process. Under Article 17(3), if the parent refuses to sign or does not attend, that refusal is recorded on the same document in the presence of the academic counselor and the safety officer, and their signatures serve as proof that the parent was informed of the violation. If you disagree with the content, the effective response is the written grievance under Article 13, not withholding a signature.
Official Sources
- UAE Ministry of Education, Ministerial Resolution No. 851 of 2018 on the Code of Behaviour Management for Students in General Education Institutions
- The Official Portal of the UAE Government, Student Code of Conduct
- Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai
- Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), Abu Dhabi
Information current as of August 2026. Ministerial Resolution 851/2018 is published in Arabic and the quotations above are translated from that official text; where a translation is ambiguous, the Arabic original governs. KHDA and ADEK schools apply their own behavior policies on top of this federal minimum, so confirm your school’s policy and appeal route in writing with the school and the relevant education authority before acting. This article is general information and is not legal advice.
