- UAE welcomes over one million students back to schools for the 2025-26 academic year
- Ministry cancels second-term exams, introduces continuous school-based assessments for grades 5-12
- 1,000 AI instructors, 800 new teachers, and upgraded infrastructure mark the new academic reforms under the theme From Skill to Excellence
More than one million students will be welcomed by the UAE back to schools to begin the 2025-2026 academic year, as schools throughout the country are well-prepared to accept them. In a significant shift in the education system, the Ministry of Education has cancelled second-term tests and replaced them with school-based evaluations.
The new policy will see centralised exams taken only in the first and third semesters, with the second term depending on continuous assessment to gauge students' progress during the year. Officials added that the change is meant to provide pupils relief from pressure, enhance the quality of learning, and promote schools to adopt more varied tools of assessment.
Mohammed Al Qasim, the Ministry of Education's Undersecretary, clarified that the reform is for students in grades five to twelve. "The rationale behind the reform is to offer greater academic support and work on talents and extracurricular activities of students", he said. Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri went on to state that the ministry has upgraded the educational infrastructure and added nine new schools to address population growth while providing a modern and innovative atmosphere. She stated that public schools are giving particular attention to developing students' skills, implanting Emirati values, and reinforcing the Arabic language at the early stages of education.
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Technology and innovation continue to be at the forefront of the new school year, with 1,000 instructors to teach Artificial Intelligence to all grade levels. Al Qasim noted that "the UAE's AI curriculum is unique in that it is taught from kindergarten to grade twelve and emphasizes the ethical applications of technology. It is not a substitute for our teachers. Our teachers always come first", he said.
The ministry also reported that approximately 25,000 new students registered this year and more than 800 new teachers have been hired. Over 5,500 buses, 47,000 laptops, and 10 million textbooks have been distributed to assist schools. Along with this, new health and nutrition programs will introduce professional athletes to schools to direct fitness and dietary activities, while new initiatives such as 'My Inspiring Family' will involve parents and community role models to inspire students. The entire back-to-school campaign is taking place under the theme 'From Skill to Excellence', supporting the UAE's vision of empowering students for the future.
