Dubai Schools Introduce AI Curriculum at Age Four, Eliminate Centralized Exams

Dubai state schools will introduce artificial intelligence into the curriculum for students as young as four beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year. Private schools must implement Arabic language education for children aged four to six starting September 2025 as the first phase of a broader requirement covering ages birth to six. Centralized second-semester exams are cancelled for all grades in the 2025-26 year and replaced by continuous school-based assessments. Private schools must also end the school day no later than 11:30 AM.

Changes for families with young children

Parents of children in state schools will see AI content added to lessons from the earliest grades. Families with children in private schools and early childhood centres will need to accommodate mandatory Arabic instruction for ages four to six from September 2025. The shorter school day ending by 11:30 AM applies directly to private school schedules and affects after-school arrangements for working parents.

These policies apply across Dubai state schools and all private schools and early childhood centres. The exam change removes the centralized second-semester testing previously used for all grades and shifts to ongoing assessments conducted within each school.

Next steps for implementation

The Arabic requirement begins with Phase 1 for ages four to six in September 2025. AI integration in state schools starts with the full 2025-2026 academic year. Schools will manage the transition to continuous assessments in place of the cancelled centralized exams. The 11:30 AM finish time for private schools takes effect under the same 2025-26 rules.

Local residents with children in Dubai schools can expect adjustments to daily routines, curriculum content and assessment methods during the coming academic year. The measures are set out in official education directives for the 2025-26 period.