UAE back to school 2026: Live updates as record 1.27 million students return to classrooms

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated students, teachers, administrators and parents as the new academic year begins. Calling children the nation's “true wealth”, he encouraged students to embrace learning with optimism and ambition, while urging families and schools to work together to build future skills and reinforce values.

Police officers are managing traffic around the school zone in Sharjah’s Muweilah area as students return to classrooms for the new academic year. Traffic is being regulated to help ease congestion and ensure a smooth start to the school day and students and parents are assisted to cross the roads safely. Sharjah Police had announced an integrated traffic, community and public awareness plan for the start of the 2026-2027 academic year, with patrols being stepped up around schools and inspections intensified on school buses.

Students have started arriving at Hamptons International School in Al Twar as schools across Dubai welcome pupils back for the new academic year. Returning students are being joined by many new pupils, with families arriving for the start of the school year.

For four year old Zad Hassan, this is not just a new school year but the first day of school he has ever had. He starts in FS2, at North Gate British Private School, in Ajman, and his father Hassan Mohyeldin and mother came to drop him off in the class.

“It’s really nice, as I said before, it’s a good feeling, as a parent,” Mohyeldin said. “And we’re very excited for him.”

The family, who are from Egypt, had been marking off the days at home. “We were counting down the days till the first day of school,” said Mohyeldin.

Any nerves seem to have dissolved on arrival. His father watched him settle straight into the play area. “He’s playing, as you can see. He’s accommodating himself as well,” he said.

Glambot for the students to make first day back to school memories at North Gate British Private School in Ajman.

Students at the The Philippine School Dubai in Muhaisnah were welcomed back to campus with an upbeat drum and lyre performance, setting a lively tone for the start of the new academic year.

The musical welcome added to the excitement as students reunited with classmates and teachers on the first day of school.

Khadidja Bessoltane GEMS Cluster Lead and National Identity at GEMS World Academy, Abu Dhabi is looking forward to a more enriching new year. "This year feels like a fresh start for all of us. We are welcoming our students back with renewed focus on National Identity, and strong sense of belonging with our international community. We want every student to feel connected to UAE, values and grow as confident global citizens. We are looking forward to seeing them back on campus, for another year of learning."

Year 3 pupil Tuhinbala Balaji arrived at the gates this morning as one of the school’s new starters, and by his father’s account he had barely slept. “The excitement kept him up through the night,” he said and the family was awake by 5am to get ready.

Balaji Anbanathan took the morning off work to drop his son at the gates. He said the little boy has been counting down to the day, with making new friends top of Tuhinbala’s list for the term ahead.

The first day is being built around settling students in rather than rushing them into lessons, according to Vice Principal Kamran Ajmal, of North Gate British Private School.

Morning form periods are the anchor. “Students first two periods with in the morning, they’re gonna get a chance to reflect on the day, ask any questions about what they did, about where they need to be, the form tutors will be there to support them,” Ajmal said, describing it as a wellbeing check.

The end of the day is being managed just as closely. Staff will sort students into their bus groups and walk them down themselves. “We’re going to organise the students into the correct buses at the end of the day. We’re going to walk them down and make sure they’re getting on the correct bus. They can get home on time,” said Ajmal.

Children being collected by car will be walked down to the front of the school and shown the route so parents can pick them up safely.

“At North Gate British School, we are extremely excited to welcome all of our students back to the start of the new academic year,” said Principal Thomas James Meakin. “Preparations have gone extremely well over the summer with some fantastic new developments within the school, including a fantastic, brand new auditorium, a new library facility, as well as developments across the school, towards our classrooms, to support the functioning of our new GCSE programme.”

Safety, he said, has shaped the planning throughout. “As always, safety has been paramount in all of our decision making, and our emergency response processes are still in place to ensure that the students are safe when they return to school,” Meakin said.

The school has designated safe zones on campus as part of that emergency response training, alongside evacuation procedures, so pupils have secure areas to go to if anything arises during the school day.

GEMS World Academy Abu Dhabi ready to welcome back children for the first day of school with balloon decorations.

Watch students in uniforms return to school in yellow buses. Students of The Indian High School, Oud Metha Campus, are all smiles as they are received with special “welcome back to school” messages.

UAE residents woke up to the familiar sight of yellow school buses on roads as students return to classrooms across the country, marking the resumption of learning after the summer break.