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20/11/2025

Navigating Dubai’s Mandatory KHDA and SIRA Security Upgrades for Schools

Keeping students safe has always been the big priority for every school; it’s kind of the core of everything. Now, Dubai is really taking that idea to a whole new level. The Dubai Government, in collaboration with the KHDA, is introducing strict new rules to raise the bar on campus security across the city. The new rules follow on from the SIRA Preventive Systems Guide for Educational Institutions Dubai, and honestly, they’re a game changer.

For school leaders, SIRA compliance is not something to get to later. The need is urgent and the mandate is now. There are deadlines, a clear checklist, and a full system your school needs to follow. This guide breaks down all of it for you so that you understand what is required, the technology involved, and how the entire upgrade will roll out.

Why Surveillance in Schools Matters So Much Today

The whole topic of campus safety Dubai has changed a lot in the last few years. Schools are expected to look after every detail from teaching quality to student wellbeing to physical safety. And the surveillance systems now play a huge role in that.

The modern CCTV does more than just recording. It helps schools act quickly, prevent issues, and know what has really happened when something goes wrong.

Here’s why it matters:

1. Crime Prevention and Deterrence

Cameras make people think twice, and unauthorized access is reduced. Also, vandalism and even small incidents that can lead to big ones considerably decrease.

2. Better Incident Management

HD footage certainly does help when you are trying to understand accidents, fights, arguments, or bullying cases. It clears up things fast.

3. Smooth Daily Operations

Traffic during drop-off and pick-up. Crowded hallways during breaks. The cameras monitor all this so that everything remains safe and organized.

4. Faster Response to Emergencies

If something serious happens, real-time monitoring lets your team react within seconds. And those seconds matter.

KHDA and SIRA recognized the accrued benefits of advanced surveillance to require its installation in each school in Dubai.

The Compliance Roadmap: Two Phases, Clear Deadlines

To make things manageable, the KHDA and SIRA upgrades are divided into two phases. It’s a smart approach, which enables schools to upgrade incrementally.

Phase 1: Basic Security by January 15, 2026

The first major milestone is Phase 1. By January 15, 2026, every school shall install SIRA-compliant surveillance in:

Main entrances
Waiting and Reception Areas
Drop-off and pick-up points

These are the places where people enter, wait, or gather. Therefore, securing them first makes perfect sense. Think of it as building the strongest outer layer of your security.

Phase 2: Full Campus Compliance by 2026–27 Academic Year

Phase 2 is the big one: All remaining security upgrades per the Preventive Systems Guide shall be completed in schools before the beginning of the 2026–27 school year.

This means full coverage for:

Classrooms
Labs
Libraries
Playgrounds
Corridors
Emergency exits
Staff areas
Sports facilities
The entire perimeter

By this stage, the whole campus is integrated into one security ecosystem.

SIRA's Technical Requirements in Plain Language

The SIRA guidelines go into tiny details, from monitoring every inch of space in your school to the kind of view a camera needs for each zone. Here’s a simple breakdown:

Identification View

Used at all entrances so you can actually identify who is coming in.

Recognition View

For sensitive areas, including cashier desks, washroom entrances, or rooms with valuable documents.

Detection View

This is required inside classrooms, labs, clinic rooms, and spaces for students of determination. The camera view should be wide to show everything happening in the room.

Observation View

For areas of general movement such as stairs, lobbies, corridors, emergency exits.

Overview Monitor

For big outdoor areas, playgrounds, fields, swimming pools, and parking zones.

But that is not all. Schools would also need to install:

A full SIRA-certified CCTV network
ANPR at every vehicle gate.

ANPR helps in tracking every car entering or leaving the school. It’s automatic and super accurate.

Not Just Cameras - A Complete Security Ecosystem

One of the biggest things schools need to understand is this: SIRA compliance is not just putting up cameras. It’s an ecosystem in itself-a whole framework of technology, people, and monitoring.

Schools should include:

24-Hour Security Guards
A qualified and professional security team on site all the time.

SIRA-Approved Health Monitoring
This system checks whether every camera, recorder, and device is working 24/7. The moment something goes offline, it alerts the school.

Approved Communication Devices
Security staff should use SIRA-approved radios or devices to ensure that communication is clean and reliable.

When all these-CCTV, ANPR, guards, and health monitoring-come together, the school becomes a much safer place for all. Dubai is basically setting a new standard for the safety of schools not only in the region but possibly the globe as well.

Partner With CloudSync for Secure and Compliant School Upgrades

If your school needs help meeting these new KHDA and SIRA rules, CloudSync is here to support you from start to finish. We provide fully certified solutions, advanced monitoring systems, and complete installation handled by experts who understand the regulations inside out.

If you are looking for a Trusted CCTV installation company in Dubai that delivers smooth, compliant, and reliable security upgrades, CloudSync can take care of everything for you.