# UAE Makes AI a Core School Subject from Kindergarten to Grade 12
The United Arab Emirates has approved artificial intelligence as an official, mandatory subject in public schools beginning the 2025–26 academic year. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai — announced the decision, saying the new curriculum will equip students from kindergarten through Grade 12 with the skills they need for an AI-driven future.
The move is a direct expression of the UAE's long-term strategy to build a knowledge-based, innovation-driven economy. In his post on X (formerly Twitter), Sheikh Mohammed outlined an ambitious educational goal: to give students not just technical fluency in AI, but a thorough understanding of its ethical implications and societal consequences.
What the AI Curriculum Covers
The approved curriculum spans seven core domains:
- Foundational AI concepts — understanding what AI is and how it works - Data and algorithms — how data is collected, processed, and used in machine learning - Software applications — practical tools and platforms powered by AI - Ethical awareness — the moral responsibilities that come with AI use - Real-world applications — how AI is deployed across industries - Innovation and project design — building and presenting AI-driven solutions - Community policies — AI governance, regulation, and societal impact
Lessons will be age-appropriate — younger students will explore AI concepts through storytelling and games, while older students will tackle algorithm design, data analytics, and ethical decision-making frameworks. The subject will be taught within the existing "Computing, Creative Design, and Innovation" course, meaning no additional class hours are required.
Sheikh Mohammed's Announcement
Sheikh Mohammed praised the Minister of Education for developing comprehensive AI teaching materials matched to each age group. "We hold responsibility to educate kids for the future world," he wrote, "because it will advance beyond current standards."
Teacher Training and the Dubai AI Blueprint
The UAE artificial intelligence school curriculum announcement follows a parallel initiative from Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, who had earlier announced that Dubai schools would have AI-qualified teachers. A dedicated teacher training programme, the "AI in My Classroom — Teacher Incubator Programme," is being rolled out in partnership with the University of Wollongong in Dubai, the UAE AI Ethics Lab, and PowerSchool. The programme is part of a broader drive to train one million people in AI skills by 2027.
An estimated 1,000 trained teachers will deliver the new AI subject to approximately 400,000 students in the first year alone.
UAE's Broader AI Education Strategy
This curriculum reform is one pillar of the UAE's National AI Strategy 2031, which aims to make the country a world leader in artificial intelligence by the end of the decade. By embedding AI literacy at every stage of schooling, the UAE is building a talent pipeline that can compete globally — and do so with a firm grounding in the ethics and governance of the technology.
The initiative reinforces the UAE's position as a regional and global leader in AI education, ensuring the next generation is not just prepared to work alongside AI, but to shape it.
