KHDA's shadow teacher policy: what Dubai parents need to know

If a Dubai private school has told your family that your child needs a shadow teacher, it's worth knowing this isn't simply a school's internal preference. KHDA has specific rules about how and when schools can ask for this, and about what they're allowed to charge for it.

The policy in plain terms

KHDA requires private schools in Dubai to be able to justify, to KHDA, why a particular student needs one-to-one shadow teacher support rather than being supported through the school's own inclusion resources. Schools also cannot charge parents additional fees for supporting a student of determination — including for a shadow teacher — without KHDA's approval. In short: a school can't simply pass the cost of inclusion support on to a family without going through a proper process.

Why this matters practically

This doesn't mean shadow teachers are never appropriate — for many children, one-to-one support genuinely is the right level of provision. What it means is that the recommendation should be based on your child's documented needs, not on convenience or under-resourcing at the school, and there should be a paper trail behind it.

What to ask the school

If a shadow teacher is recommended, it's reasonable to ask what assessment or evidence led to that recommendation, whether the school has KHDA approval for the associated fees, and what alternative in-school support was considered first, such as extra input from the school's own inclusion team. A school operating properly should be able to answer all three without hesitation.

If something doesn't add up

If a school can't point to a clear basis for the recommendation, or is charging fees it can't explain, you're entitled to keep asking and, if needed, to raise the matter with KHDA directly. This is a compliance framework designed to protect families, not a technicality to work around.

Where Special Minds fits in

Whether or not a shadow teacher turns out to be the right call, our role is to help make sure any support your child receives — in or out of school — is well-matched, properly supervised, and actually working. If you'd like help thinking through whether one-to-one support is the right fit, or finding a properly trained LSA, take a look at our shadow teacher services.