His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued two Royal Decrees on Wednesday reading as follows:

Royal Decree No 8/2021 amends some laws and Royal decrees.

Article 1 replaces the words/ phrases ‘the disabled’ and ‘persons with special needs’ and any other terminology referring to the same, wherever they might occur in laws and Royal Decrees, with the phrase ‘persons with disabilities’.

Article 2 cancels all that contradicts this decree or contravenes its provisions.

Article 3 states that this decree will be published in the Official Gazette and enforced on its date of issue.

Royal Decree No 9/2021 pertains to Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance.

Article 1 renames ‘Oman Academic Accreditation Authority’ to ‘Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance’.

Article 2 defines the specialisations of Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance in accordance with Annex (1) attached to this decree.

Article 3 endorses the organisational structure of Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance in accordance with Annex (2) attached to this decree.

Article 4 states that Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance will report to the Council of Ministers.

Article 5 states that Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance will have its headquarters in the Governorate of Muscat and that, with a decision from the Board of Directors, the authority may have branches in other governorates.

Article 6 states that Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance will have a chief executive officer (CEO) with Special Grade and that the CEO will be appointed with a Royal decree.

Article 7 stipulates that government and private schools and higher education institutions, and other departments/parties concerned, will adhere to the criteria and procedures pertinent to academic accreditation and education quality devised by Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance, and that all these parties will provide the authority with any information, data or statistics that it might demand or determine as necessary for practicing its specialisations.

Article 8 states that all allocations, origins, rights, obligations and assets of the Directorate General for Assessment of Schools at the Ministry of Education will be transferred to Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance.

Article 9 states that the employees of the above-mentioned Directorate General for Assessment of Schools will be transferred to Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance, along with their current financial grades, in accordance with the arrangement to be made by the CEO of the authority and the Minister of Education.

Article 10 replaces the name  ‘Oman Academic Accreditation Authority’, wherever it might occur in laws and Royal Decrees, with the phrase ‘Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance’.

Article 11 states that the current employment and financial regulations and decisions will continue to be enforced at Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance till such time that the Unified Civil Service Law is promulgated.

Article 12 instructs the chairman of Board of Directors of Oman Authority for Academic Accreditation and Education Quality Assurance to issue the regulations and decisions necessary for the implementation of provisions of this decree. Till such time, the existing regulations and decisions will continue to be enforced without prejudice to the provisions of this decree.

Article 13 cancels Oman Academic Accreditation Authority’s system attached to Royal Decree No 54/2010, as well as all that contradicts this decree or contravenes its provisions.

Article 14 states that this decree will be published in the Official Gazette and enforced on its date of issue.