Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Public Prosecution on Wednesday has announced a jail term or a minimum fine of 5,000 dirham for those failing to enroll a child in school during the period of compulsory education.
From the age of six up until the completion of class 12 or its equivalent – whichever comes first – education in the UAE is compulsory.
Education and other rights of children are part of the law in the UAE. Neglecting them could lead to jail time or a minimum fine of Dh5,000. The government reaffirmed the right of children to education in the country, saying ‘Every child has the right to education. In addition, the state provides equal opportunities to all children in accordance with the law.’
Authorities said on social media that people could also be sent to jail for not registering their children at the school for no reason.
“A person who is in charge of taking care of a child is prohibited [from exposing] such [a] child to abandonment, homelessness or negligence or to leave such [a] child without any monitoring or follow-up or to give up guiding and directing such [a] child or not take care of his/her affairs or fail to enrol such [a] child into an educational institution or leave him/her in a situation of not attending education without a reason during the stage of compulsory education,” it added.