Royal Decree 9/2021 regarding the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education

Arabic

We, Haitham bin Tarik, the Sultan of Oman

after perusal of the Basic Statute of the State,

Royal Decree 54/2010 Establishing the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority,

Royal Decree 78/2013 Promulgating the Unified Grades and Salaries Schedule for Omani Civil Employees of the State,

the System of the Administrative Apparatus of the State promulgated by Royal Decree 75/2020,

and Royal Decree 79/2020 Determining the Competences of the Ministry of Education and Adopting Its Organisational Structure,

and in pursuance of public interest,

have decreed as follows

Article I

The name of the “Oman Academic Accreditation Authority” is hereby amended to the “ Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education.”

Article II

The competences of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education is hereby determined in accordance with the attached annex 1.

Article III

The organisational structure of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education is hereby adopted in accordance with the attached annex 2.

Article IV

The Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education shall be subordinate to the Council of Ministers.

Article V

The headquarters of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education shall be in the Governorate of Muscat, and it is permitted by a decision of the board of directors to establish branches in other governorates.

Article VI

The Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education shall have an executive president with the special grade appointed by royal decree.

Article VII

Public and private schools, public and private higher education institutions, and other concerned bodies shall adhere to the systems, standards, and procedures of academic accreditation and education quality assurance set by the authority. They shall also provide the authority with the data and statistics it deems necessary to exercise its competences.

Article VIII

All allocations, assets, rights, obligations, and holdings of the Directorate General of School Evaluation in the Ministry of Education are hereby transferred to the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education.

Article IX

The employees of the Directorate General of School Evaluation in the Ministry of Education are hereby transferred to the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education with their same financial grades, in accordance with the coordination between the executive president of the authority and the Minister of Education.

Article X

The phrase “Oman Academic Accreditation Authority” wherever it occurs in laws and royal decrees is hereby replaced with the phrase “Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education.”

Article XI

Employment and financial regulations and decisions in force in the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education shall continue to operate until the Unified Civil Service Law is promulgated.

Article XII

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Quality Assurance of Education shall issue the necessary regulations and decisions for implementing the provisions of this decree, and until they are issued, the existing regulations and decisions continue to operate to the degree that they do not contradict with the provisions of this decree.

Article XIII

The System of the Oman Academic Accreditation Authority attached to the aforementioned Royal Decree 54/2010 is hereby repealed as well as all that is contrary to this decree and the attached annexes, or in conflict with their provisions.

Article XIV

This decree shall be published in the Official Gazette, and comes into force on the date of its issuance.

Issued on: 29 Jumada Al-Awwal 1442
Corresponding to: 13 January 2021

Haitham bin Tarik
Sultan of Oman

Published in Official Gazette 1375 issued on 17 January 2021.