UAE cancels second-term exams for 2025-2026 academic year

“The reason for this change is to provide more academic support and focus on students’ talents and extracurricular activities,” Mohammed Al Qasim, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, told Gulf News.

Students to learn AI in school

Starting this academic year, students in UAE schools will also get first-hand exposure to Artificial Intelligence (AI).

According to Amna Al Saleh, the  Assistant Undersecretary for Curriculum and Assessment, 1,000 teachers will be instructing students in AI during this coming academic year, to prepare the next generation for the demands of the future.

New academic year in UAE

Schools across the UAE, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah are set to reopen on August 25 for the new academic year. Around 1 million students from around the world will return to schools on Monday after the summer break.

Ahead of the start of the new academic year, the Ministry of Education said that nine new public schools will open across the Emirates.

School education in UAE

As the UAE continues to attract talent from around the world, there is a significant increase in demand for school admissions.

In Dubai alone, 10 new private schools had opened in the 2024-25 academic year, adding over 16,000 students. According to a new report published by Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), at least 100 new private schools are expected to open in Dubai by 2033.

With a unique mix of pupils from around the world, private schools in the UAE offer 17 different curricula, including the UK curriculum, which is the most common, followed by the Indian curriculum, US curriculum and International Baccalaureate.