SPEA — Sharjah Private Schools Inclusion
Offered by Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA)
Sharjah's regulator of private schools, with inclusion of students of determination as a stated quality requirement and an integrated part of school inspections.
<p></p><p>The <strong>Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA)</strong> was established by Emiri Decree No. 45 of 2018 as Sharjah's regulator of private schools, nurseries, and training centres. SPEA's mandate covers licensing, inspection, and quality of private education across the emirate — currently around 128 private schools serving over 200,000 students.</p><p>
</p><h3>Inclusion in Sharjah private schools</h3><ul><li><p>Federal law (Federal Decree-Law No. 18 of 2020 on Private Education) requires all UAE private schools, including those in Sharjah, to provide an <strong>inclusive environment and supportive programmes for students of determination</strong>.</p></li><li><p>SPEA has integrated <strong>inclusive indicators into its school inspections</strong> and expanded teacher professional development for inclusion.</p></li><li><p>Schools must identify students of determination on the SPEA database and report inclusion provision as part of their licensing and inspection.</p></li></ul><p>
</p><h3>How parents use it</h3><ul><li><p>Check a school's most recent SPEA inspection report before enrolling — inclusion is now part of how schools are rated, and the report will say how many students of determination the school supports and how well.</p></li><li><p>Request to see the school's inclusion policy and SEN provision in writing before admission.</p></li><li><p>If a school refuses admission on grounds of disability, raise it directly with SPEA.</p></li></ul><p>
</p><h3>An honest note for parents</h3><p>SPEA's inclusion framework is less prescriptive than Dubai's KHDA framework or Abu Dhabi's ADEK policy. Independent research has noted that inclusion <em>implementation</em> still varies significantly across Sharjah schools, shaped by funding, teacher preparedness, and access to professional development. Visit shortlisted schools, ask about their SEN team, IEPs, and any extra fees, and don't rely only on the inspection rating.</p><p>
</p><p>SPEA website: <a target="blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://spea.shj.ae/en/">spea.shj.ae</a></p>