The UAE reshaped its education landscape in 2025 through sweeping reforms that prioritised future skills, talent development, and alignment with national economic goals, marking one of the most transformative years for the sector to date.
A cornerstone of these efforts was the launch of the Zayed Education Foundation, an initiative designed to support 100,000 young talents by 2035 and equip them to contribute to global economic, social, and environmental progress. In a global first, artificial intelligence was also introduced as a compulsory subject from kindergarten through Grade 12, embedding advanced digital skills early in the learning journey.
Curriculum reforms extended across public and private schools following the national curriculum. Updated Cycle 3 streams now allow students to pursue specialised pathways, with an advanced stream focused on medicine, engineering, pharmacy, and sciences, and a general stream covering humanities, law, business, arts, and social sciences. A unified framework for Arabic language, Islamic education, and social concepts was also made mandatory for kindergartens in private schools.
Higher education policies were refined as the Education, Human Development and Community Development Council introduced new criteria for students studying abroad and updated scholarship regulations to match labour market needs. From the 2026–2027 academic year, the age cut-off for kindergarten and Grade 1 admissions will shift to 31 December.
Further reforms included changes to assessment systems, expanded project-based learning, enhanced Arabic instruction, and new teacher leadership programmes. The year also saw the launch of federal scholarship initiatives and the opening of a new Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities campus in Al Dhafra, strengthening access to specialised education nationwide.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
