Dubai’s private schools will not face official inspections during the 2025–26 academic year, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has announced.

The decision applies to all private schools in the emirate, except those in their third year of operation, which will still go through a full inspection.

KHDA said the move is part of a new approach to improving education, allowing schools to focus more on collaboration, reflection, and ongoing development.

While there won’t be full inspections, targeted visits will continue. These will focus on specific areas related to education quality and will be guided by feedback from parents, students, and teachers, as well as the goals of the Education 33 strategy.

“Dubai’s private schools have shown great resilience, innovation, and care for students,” said Fatma Ibrahim Belrehif, CEO of the Education Quality Assurance and Compliance Agency at KHDA.

“This break from inspections gives us a chance to rethink how we define and support quality education.”

Schools will still be required to carry out external benchmark assessments to measure student progress. They will also continue submitting regular updates through their self-evaluation forms (SEF).

KHDA said these steps will help ensure that education remains high-quality and aligned with national goals, even without formal inspections for a year.

Get ready for a sweeter future, Pure Ice Cream has officially started building one of the UAE’s largest ice cream factories in Dubai Industrial City. The Dh80 million project is set to boost local production and serve customers across 20+ countries once it opens in 2026.

The state-of-the-art facility will have the capacity to produce 50 million litres of ice cream every year and is being developed by Graviss Group, the parent company of Pure Ice Cream. It will also supply products for the global brand Baskin-Robbins, in partnership with US-based Inspire Brands.

Built with sustainability in mind, the fully automated factory will use AI-powered systems, solar energy, and biodegradable packaging, and aims to be carbon-neutral. It will also create 60 new jobs in the UAE.

“Dubai will soon be home to the biggest ice cream plant in the GCC,” said Gaurav Ghai, Chairman of Graviss Group. 

“This project is a big step in our goal to export UAE-made products globally.”

The move reflects Dubai’s growing role as a regional hub for food production, aligning with key initiatives like Operation 300 billion, Dubai Economic Agenda D33, and the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy.

The factory will cover 160,000 sq ft and sit on a 246,000 sq ft land plot in Dubai Industrial City, a strategic location near major transport routes like Al Maktoum International Airport and Jebel Ali Port.

As part of TECOM Group, Dubai Industrial City is already home to more than 1,100 businesses and 350+ factories, and continues to attract major investments in the food and beverage sector.

The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has made it faster and easier to get your driver’s licence. As part of a major upgrade, the RTA has cut down its driver licensing services by 53%,  from 33 services to just 15. This move is part of Dubai’s vision to offer smarter, faster, and more convenient public services for everyone.

According to Sultan Al Akraf, Director of Driver Licensing at RTA, the changes are designed to make the customer experience smoother and more efficient.

“The goal is to make applying for or renewing your driver’s licence easier by using smart technology,” he said. “We’ve reworked the entire journey so customers can now complete most services online without needing to visit a service centre.”

All the services can now be accessed through the RTA Dubai App or RTA’s official website, including:

• Applying for or renewing a driver’s licence
• Adding a new vehicle category
• Transferring files between driving institutes
• Updating personal details
• Replacing lost or damaged licences

The app also sends real-time notifications so you never miss an update or renewal date.

These updates are part of RTA’s ‘Services 360’ plan, a digital transformation that brings together all driving, vehicle, and transport services in one place.

“We want to improve convenience and reduce wait times, while keeping services high-quality and sustainable,” Al Akraf added. “This change is all about putting the customer first.”