UAE Schools Enforce Strict Dress Codes and Nutrition Guidelines for the New Academic Year

Schools across the UAE have commenced the new academic year by implementing stricter regulations regarding student attire, personal grooming, and lunchbox contents. Parents and pupils have received detailed notices outlining restrictions on specific hairstyles, including the qaza style for boys, which involves shaving parts of the head while leaving other sections longer. Educational leaders emphasize that these standards are closely tied to broader expectations of student behavior, responsibility, and mutual respect.

At Gems Royal Dubai School, principal and CEO Jan Steel highlighted the importance of maintaining a smart and respectful appearance. She noted that expectations are communicated prior to the academic year and reinforced through daily checks. Boys are required to keep their hair clean, neat, and natural in color, avoiding extreme, patterned, or sharply contrasting cuts like the qaza style. Families are instead encouraged to choose evenly blended, conventional hairstyles.

Meanwhile, The American Academy for Girls has taken a more creative approach to communicating these rules. School superintendent Lisa Johnson explained that house captains produced fashion-show videos demonstrating the dress code's dos and don'ts, alongside informative photographs shared in newsletters. The school utilizes a merit system where students not wearing the proper uniform receive demerits, though allowances are made for extenuating circumstances.

Michelle Thomas, principal and CEO of Gems Al Barsha National School, emphasized that a unified dress code fosters a positive school culture rooted in Emirati and Islamic values. Rather than relying on punitive measures, she stated that schools address grooming infractions through education, partnership, and respectful conversations with families, offering students the chance to correct their appearance without embarrassment.

In addition to grooming and uniform policies, schools have reminded parents to pack nutritious lunches while avoiding caffeinated drinks, ultra-processed items, and foods high in salt. Canteen menus and packed lunches must adhere to strict nutritional guidelines set by regulatory bodies such as the Dubai Municipality, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Education Authority, which strictly prohibits junk food and items on its regulatory Red List.