Governance in Educational Institutions: An Analytical Study of the Conceptual and Legislative Framework in Private Schools in the UAE

Abstract

This paper is grounded in the researcher's premise that governance in education is not merely a set of administrative practices borrowed from the business sector, but rather a value-laden and legislative system requiring careful adaptation to suit the specificities of educational institutions. The paper seeks to deconstruct the conceptual and legislative framework of governance in private schools in the United Arab Emirates, positing that the UAE experience is undergoing a transitional phase from 'procedural compliance' to 'institutional culture'. Through an in-depth analysis of legislation and policies issued during the period 2017–2024, the researcher identified a diagnostic gap between the rigor of legal texts and the actual governance practices in some private schools, particularly with respect to the independence of boards of trustees and conflicts of interest between school owners and the educational mission. The paper concludes with theoretical and practical recommendations to bridge this gap