Dubai: The Ministry of Education (MoE) announced the complete readiness of the UAE education system for the 2026-2027 academic year during a press conference at the Zayed Educational Complex in Al Warqaa in the presence of high-level ministry officials. These included Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education; Eng. Mohammed Al Qasim, Under-Secretary of MoE; Sulaiman Al Kaabi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Professional Development Sector; and Tariq Al Hashimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the School Operations Sector (Dubai and Northern Emirates). The briefing outlined academic, administrative, operational, and technical preparations designed to ensure a seamless start.
According to Emirates News Agency, the MoE highlighted key updates and national initiatives aimed at elevating student and teacher experiences to align with the UAE's future-focused educational vision. These comprehensive preparations spanned all ministry departments, focusing on updated educational policies, enhanced evaluation frameworks, school and staff readiness, as well as new professional development and innovation programmes. Sarah Al Amiri stated that the ongoing evolution of the UAE's education sector reflects the leadership's forward-looking vision that views human capital investment as the foundation of national development.
Al Amiri added that equipping the new generation with future-proof knowledge, skills, and values remains at the forefront of national priorities. She noted that MoE continues to execute its development plans and programmes to meet government objectives through sustainable policies, initiatives, and projects. These efforts seek to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE's education system and consolidate the country's global standing.
Eng. Al Qasim explained that the Ministry has established proactive plans to ensure public schools are ready for the 2026-2027 academic year. These plans cover all components of the education system - policies, curricula, human capital, infrastructure, digital services, and learning tools. MoE works closely with its partners across the public and private sectors to provide a high-quality educational experience that meets student and parent aspirations and aligns with global best practices.
The Ministry announced the activation of the National Education Charter, which establishes a unified national vision for education, across six integrated pathways. These include linking the Charter's principles to educational outcomes, empowering teachers to apply them, integrating them in daily practices, leveraging classroom and extracurricular activities to reinforce them, aligning the student code of conduct with them, and engaging families in supporting their implementation.
To reinforce Arabic as a core national and educational priority, the Ministry is launching the second phase of the Arabic language skills assessment. This next phase targets all 19,000 Grade-1 students across 162 public schools and 11,000 Grade-1 students across 130 private schools to support early skill development. As part of its updates for the new academic year, MoE has announced that there will be no homework for students from Kindergarten through Grade 2. This decision optimises classroom learning and restores a healthy balance between school and family life.
MoE announced the expansion of the 'Regulating the Use of Digital Tools in Education' project to include all Grade-6 students across public schools. Preliminary results from a study revealed a clear improvement in academic performance in non-digital classrooms, specifically in mathematics, science, and Arabic. The initiative aims to balance technology integration with the reinforcement of fundamental skills to enhance academic achievement, critical thinking, cognitive development, educational interaction, and discipline.
As part of its ongoing investment in human capital, the Ministry launched an integrated suite of professional development programmes. Key initiatives include the National AI Capacity-Building Programme, co-designed with Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, the Promising School Leaders Project, and the Afaq programme, delivered in collaboration with Emirates College for Advanced Education to equip teachers with AI skills. Additionally, the rollout features the Comprehensive Capacity-Building Programme for Educational Leaders, the Professional Fellowship Programme, and the Certified Internal Trainers Programme.
For the upcoming academic year, the Ministry opened 11 new schools and educational complexes, deployed 5,810 school buses, and distributed 8 million textbooks. Over 1,180 public and private schools across the UAE reopen their doors on 31 August, welcoming more than 1.277 million students. A total of 26,700 new students were registered in public schools.