Leading the Way: What the UAE’s AI Mandate Signals for Schools Everywhere
Written By: Morgan Mifflin, AI Project Manager, Middle States Association | Published October 13th, 2025
WAM File
This year marks a turning point for education. For the 2025–26 academic year, the Ministry of Education in the UAE is implementing an Artificial Intelligence curriculum across all public schools (Rasheed, 2025).
The goal of this curriculum is to strengthen students’ abilities to apply AI technology in a “safe, ethical, and responsible manner” (Rasheed, 2025). According to the Ministry, the strategy calls for “students to design their own AI systems while learning about bias and algorithms; explore ethical use and issues of plagiarism; and practice prompt engineering with real-world scenarios” (Warner, 2025).
Why This Moment Matters
The UAE isn’t waiting for change—it is shaping it by preparing its students for an AI-driven world. The USA, Estonia, Australia, South Korea, Uzbekistan, and regions of China are moving toward similar policies, but the UAE leads with its system-wide implementation.
As Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum shared, “The UAE’s [government] responsibility is to equip our children for a time unlike ours, with conditions different from ours, and with new skills and capabilities that ensure the continued momentum of development and progress in our nation for decades to come.”
This mindset—forward-looking, values-driven, and student-centered—is what the global education systems needs. AI education isn’t a luxury or a trend. It is a responsibility.
How Schools Can Take Action
Schools around the world ask us the same question: How do we prepare our teachers and students for an age of abundant AI—and do it safely, ethically, and effectively?
To answer that question, we developed Responsible AI in Learning (RAIL)—the world’s first AI endorsement series that guides schools through thoughtful AI adoption. Now in its 7th iteration, RAIL provides a structured implementation framework that deepens a school’s mission even as it moves that learning community from curiosity to confidence with AI.
Two UAE schools—Dwight School Dubai and the American International School Abu Dhabi—have recently become the first in the country to seek endorsement through RAIL. Quitney Price of the American International School Abu Dhabi explained:
“We envision the RAIL program as a vital support in aligning our school with the UAE’s new AI curriculum mandate. We believe it will place us ahead of the curve in AI [adoption], ensuring that our students and teachers are fully prepared for the rapid changes shaping education.”
She expects RAIL to help AIS Abu Dhabi achieve several outcomes:
Ensure teachers feel confident and comfortable with AI so that successful adoption extends into the classroom.
Benefit students through meaningful, future-focused learning experiences.
Encourage a thoughtful look at current practices and identify ways to develop AI-related skills across all subject areas.
Foster a culture of innovation and readiness.
Align with the UAE’s vision for education.
Now is the Time to Prepare
The UAE’s decision is more than policy—it’s a signal.
No one is still asking whether AI will shape education.
The real question is: How prepared are we to guide that transformation?
Educators have a choice: wait and react, or lead and shape. The schools that prepare now—building AI literacy, establishing safety and ethics frameworks, and empowering teachers with the right tools—will thrive in the years ahead.
Is your school ready for the age of abundant AI?
If your answer is not yet, that’s okay. The important thing is to start. We’re here for you.
To learn more about RAIL, view our information deck or reach out directly at rail@msa-cess.org .
References:
https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/new-school-year-begins-with-focus-on-student-readiness-and-new-ai-curriculum-1.500244040 (Rasheed, 2025)
https://www.semafor.com/article/05/07/2025/why-the-uae-has-mandated-ai-learning-in-schools (Warner, 2025)
Turn state guidance into practical classroom moves. Join the next RAIL cohort