The Ministry of Education has announced a major update to the educational streams for Cycle 3 students in UAE public schools and private schools following the national curriculum, set to take effect from the 2025–2026 academic year.
The redesign of the general and advanced streams aims to better reflect students’ academic interests and career goals while meeting the evolving demands of higher education and the labour market. The announcement was made during a media briefing at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, led by Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri and other senior officials.
Under the new structure, students in the general stream will continue to build a foundation in scientific subjects, while the advanced stream will offer deeper focus on science disciplines to prepare students for fields such as medicine, engineering, and pharmacy. The general stream will support students pursuing paths in humanities, law, arts, and business.
The Ministry confirmed the changes will not impact current Grade 11 and Grade 12 students. However, Grade 12 students in the general stream may opt to replace physics with an alternative subject from the Ministry’s updated guidance manual.
Grade 8 students are now encouraged to choose their stream based on future university plans. The Ministry has introduced a mechanism and conditions for admission into the advanced stream to ensure alignment with higher education requirements.
The updates were developed following consultations with educators, parents, and higher education institutions, and are supported by new academic guidelines and counselling resources to help students make informed decisions about their educational pathways.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
