Here's Everything to Know About Bahraini Private Schools' New Draft Law
Draft legislation aims to modernise private education with clearer standards for licensing, governance, and accountability.
- Publish date: Tuesday، 23 December 2025 Reading time: two min read
Bahrain is moving forward with a comprehensive draft law to overhaul the regulation of private schools, with lawmakers and education officials saying the changes reflect the sector’s growth and evolving needs.
The proposed legislation, set to replace decades-old rules, has been backed in principle by the Shura Council and is due for extended debate before final approval.
The bill, framed as a 36-article law, would replace the existing Decree-Law No. 25 of 1998 governing private educational institutions and training centres, marking one of the most significant legal updates in more than two decades.
It is designed to modernise private education, strengthen oversight, and ensure that private schools operate in line with national education goals and quality expectations.
Under the draft law, private schools would be subject to clearer licensing, management and supervision standards, which aim to raise the quality of learning environments and outcomes for students. The measure would expand the powers of the Ministry of Education to inspect and monitor institutions, enforce compliance, and distinguish more clearly between private schools and other training providers.
The legislation also seeks to enhance financial oversight and accountability, requiring regular financial reporting and transparent governance to bolster sustainability and protect the interests of parents and students. According to local media, the draft law mandates better reporting on financial health, including early alerting if salary shortfalls arise, and encourages the establishment of parents’ councils to foster stronger cooperation between schools and families.
Officials have noted that Bahrain’s private education system has seen significant growth in students, schools and teaching staff, which has highlighted the need for updated governance mechanisms. The new law aims to address issues that have emerged under the old framework, including regulatory violations related to facilities, tuition fees, staffing and curricula, and provides steps for addressing serious breaches — up to and including the withdrawal of a school’s licence for serious infractions.
If approved, the draft legislation would strengthen legal protections for learners and parents, improve educational standards, and provide a more stable regulatory environment for private education providers in Bahrain. It would also align private school operations more closely with national education philosophy and policy, reflecting a broader push to elevate Bahrain’s overall education landscape.