The Ministry of Education (MoE) is implementing several changes this academic year, including updates to exam policies and a new approach for Arabic and Islamic classes. These modifications are designed to enhance teaching quality, boost student wellbeing, and elevate national competitiveness.
Here’s what you need to know for the upcoming 2025–2026 academic year starting on Monday, August 25. Centralised tests at the end of the second semester will no longer be conducted.
Schools will now administer their own summative assessments, with centralised tests retained only for the first and third semesters.
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The adjustment of semester weights is intended to diversify assessment methods and prioritize student wellbeing.
What is the new standardised proficiency test?
Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, introduced a new standardised proficiency test to evaluate skills in Arabic, English, and mathematics for grades 4–11 in public schools. The initial phase will involve 26,000 students.
Updates in project-based learning
The second phase of the Project-Based Learning and Assessment (PBLA) system will be implemented for all Cycle 2 students in MoE curriculum schools.
The first phase included 127,500 students from 350 schools.
New plans for Arabic and Islamic education
More instructional time will be allocated to Arabic language and Islamic education, especially for kindergarten and Cycle 1 students.
Grade 1 students from 100 schools will undergo an Arabic baseline assessment to guide personalized support programs.
Expansion in schools and faculty
Nine new schools will open across the emirates, accommodating over 25,000 students.
More than 800 new teachers will join public schools.
Over 460 schools have been maintained and upgraded, 5,500 buses allocated, 10 million textbooks printed, and 47,000 laptops distributed.
Health and sports initiatives
A new Physical Education, Sports, and Health Programme will encourage healthy lifestyles through sports tournaments, revamped PE classes, and healthy meal options.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) education
For the first time, a nationally developed AI curriculum will be introduced in the UAE.
Approximately 1,000 teachers will implement this curriculum across all grades to prepare students for responsible and effective AI use in daily life and future careers.
Enhanced teacher training
Over 23,000 educators participated in a specialised training week, featuring 170 hours across 40 workshops for leaders and teachers, and 20 workshops for support staff.
The Educational Competency Assessment Project will target over 23,000 personnel to define career paths and enhance skills across all school cycles.
