New school year begins with focus on student readiness and new AI curriculum

Today, public and private schools, along with kindergartens across the UAE, welcomed more than one million students at various educational stages, marking the official start of the new academic year. The return of students will continue throughout the first week of school.

The Ministry of Education confirmed, through its back-to-school plan, that it is committed to ensuring students are psychologically and academically prepared for the new year, enabling them to embark on a comprehensive learning journey from the very first day.

The Ministry has adopted five major updates that define the new educational landscape. These include:

The Ministry has introduced a phased return plan for students in public schools at the start of the year, ensuring a smooth and organized launch of the learning process during the first week.

According to the official plan published on the Ministry’s website, school timings for students from grade 5 to grade 12 across all tracks will be flexible:

The Ministry’s back-to-school plan focuses on ensuring that students are both psychologically and academically prepared for the year ahead. It gradually adapts the school environment to avoid congestion during the first week and provides flexibility for administrative and teaching staff to implement accompanying programs and activities effectively.

The plan is launched under the slogan “From Skills to Leadership,” reflecting the Ministry’s vision of building a skills-driven future and nurturing a generation capable of creativity and excellence.

The academic year will be defined by five key updates:

1. Exams: Centralized exams are canceled in the second semester and replaced with school-based final assessments, allowing teachers to select appropriate evaluation methods.

2. Weightings: Adjustments to grade distributions across the three semesters:

3. Artificial Intelligence Curriculum: Introduced as part of group (B) subjects, with no formal testing. Instead, it emphasizes hands-on projects to develop safe, ethical, and responsible use of AI.

4. Academic Tracks: Consolidated into just two tracks—“General” and “Advanced.” In the General track, mathematics and physics curricula for grades 9–12 have been streamlined to reduce student workload.

5. Teacher Competency Evaluation: A nationwide project to assess the skills of 23,000 educators and administrators—12,000 from kindergarten and cycle 1, and 11,000 from cycles 2 and 3—aimed at defining clear career pathways and strengthening professional capabilities in alignment with national education goals.

The world is witnessing a paradigm shift in education with the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into school curricula. Starting this academic year, 2025–2026, the UAE will officially introduce AI as a subject across public schools, from kindergarten to grade 12.

This initiative aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills to understand AI principles and their real-life applications, in line with the nation’s vision to empower young generations to engage with emerging technologies and develop innovative solutions.

The Ministry of Education revealed that around 1,000 teachers will deliver the new subject across different grade levels, ensuring a structured and comprehensive rollout.

The UAE’s AI curriculum covers seven core areas: fundamental concepts, data and algorithms, software applications, ethical awareness, real-world applications, innovation and project design, as well as policies and community engagement. Content is tailored to suit different age groups and the skills required at each educational stage. With this step, the UAE joins the ranks of leading nations worldwide to embed AI as a formal school subject.

According to the approved calendar, the new academic year comprises 178 school days:

These include official holidays, carefully planned to ensure balance between study and rest periods. The first semester spans 14 weeks and includes the Prophet’s Birthday holiday on September 4.

Public and private schools welcomed students with a spirit of excitement and positivity, having completed comprehensive preparations to ensure safe and engaging learning environments. Classrooms and facilities were fully equipped to meet student needs, with learning and technological resources in place to support the education process.

Schools emphasized the importance of daily attendance, adherence to organizational rules, care for public property, and active participation in curricular and extracurricular activities. They also stressed the need for continuous communication between parents and educators to support student progress and ensure a productive and successful year.

The total number of students enrolled in public schools for the new academic year stands at approximately 295,000 across the UAE. The education system also welcomes over 800 new teachers this year.

Nine new schools have been opened across several emirates, providing capacity for around 25,000 students. Additionally, maintenance work was completed in 460 schools, while the Ministry provided 5,500 school buses, printed over 10 million textbooks, and distributed around 47,000 laptops to students.