No homework and new exams for some UAE students for 2026-2027

Dubai: Students in kindergarten through grade 2 across the UAE will no longer be given homework, the Ministry of Education has announced, as part of a sweeping set of reforms unveiled ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year.

Speaking at a press briefing, Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri said the changes mark a shift away from theoretical learning towards skill-based education, describing six pathways through which the National Education Charter will be implemented across schools.

Al Amiri said the decision to remove homework for children from kindergarten to grade 2 is meant to improve the quality of learning and help pupils strike a better balance in their day-to-day routines.

Among the other most significant changes, some students will now be assessed through a combination of 50 per cent centralised tests and 50 per cent school-based tests and some students will not be using digital tools for learning certain subjects.

New 50-50 exam formula

Speaking to Gulf News, the minister confirmed that the new 50-50 exam formula will be implemented from Grade 9 to 12 from this academic year.

Under the new evaluation policy, the weight of school assessment for Group A subjects will follow the 50-50 split between centralised and school-based tests. Teachers will also be able to apply diagnostic tests at school level.

The Project-Based Learning and Assessment (PBLA) model will be introduced in Grade 7 and will cover English, Arabic, Mathematics and Science. It will be rolled out across 366 public and private schools, targeting more than 129,000 students.

The ministry said the goal is to move the focus of education from "what did you learn" to "how will you apply what you learned," placing greater emphasis on practical application of knowledge rather than rote memorisation.

Rethink on digital tools

The ministry is also reassessing how digital tools are used in classrooms, citing concerns over the impact of excessive screen and device use on learning.

The minister told Gulf News that a study found that students who did not use digital devices performed better and had more interpersonal relations compared to students who used digital tools in certain subjects.

Hence, it has been decided to use only textbooks, notebooks and papers for teaching Arabic, English, Mathematics and Science in Grade 6 this year.

The aim is to achieve a healthier balance in how technology is integrated into education, rather than doing away with it altogether.

The minister said the students will continue to use technology and digital tools for subjects related to computer science and artificial intelligence.

Mohammed Al Qasim, undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, said a study will look specifically at digital tool use in classrooms, covering 2,500 students across nine public schools.

The study will be applied to Grade 6 students in public schools, with the ministry stressing that the objective is balance, not restriction, in how technology is used in education.

New school evaluation programme

Alongside student evaluations, the ministry confirmed that schools themselves will now be assessed under a new evaluation programme.

The new evaluation programme will cover both public and private schools licensed by the ministry.

The initiative is designed to enhance educational outcomes across the sector.

Back-to-school numbers

Ahead of the new academic year, the ministry shared key enrolment figures. A total of 1.277 million students are set to return to school in the UAE this year, including 26,700 new students joining public schools.

To support the growing student population, the ministry said 11 new schools and educational complexes have been added, along with the distribution of 8 million textbooks. Educators have not been left out either, with 80 training programmes rolled out for teaching staff.

Charter passport for students

As part of the wider rollout of the National Education Charter, every student will receive a Charter passport, while a dedicated story series has also been introduced to help educate young learners about the Charter and its goals.

The initiatives fall under the Back-to-School campaign, themed "Guided by the Charter, Building Tomorrow."

Tariq Alhashmi, Assistant Undersecretary of School Operations, said training will be extended to school leadership as well.

School leaders will be targeted through four training programmes over the course of the academic year.

Roots in the National Education Charter

The reforms build on the National Education Charter, launched by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on February 28, marking Emirati Day for Education.

The Charter serves as a national reference point that defines the vision, purpose and long-term outcomes of education in the UAE.

It sets out a unified foundation for the education system, along with the profile of the Emirati graduate and the values and future competencies expected to guide the nation's learning journey, reinforcing education as a sovereign priority and a central pillar of human development and nation-building.