No homework for young pupils: Shake-up to UAE public schools for the year ahead

The UAE Education Ministry has announced a significant change to public schools for the upcoming academic year. Young pupils from kindergarten to grade two will have no homework, while grade-six students will refrain from using digital screens in four major subjects - English, Arabic, science, and maths. Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri made the announcement at a back-to-school readiness conference in Dubai.

The decision is based on a study of 2,500 pupils in nine public schools, which revealed improved academic performance, behavior, discipline, and focus in classrooms without digital tools. The removal of homework for young pupils from kindergarten to grade two will also promote a better balance with family life and encourage daily reading at home.

This policy does not apply to private schools. Other changes for the new academic year include evaluating all public and private schools, launching a specialized training week for teachers and school leaders, and altering the methodology for assessing pupils in grades nine to 12. Central exams and school-based assessments will be equally divided at 50 percent each.

Schools are also ready to resume with diagnostic tests to accurately determine academic levels and detect learning gaps. With over 26,700 new pupils enrolling in public schools and 11 new schools and education complexes opening, the total number of students in public schools in the UAE stands at 1,277,000. All schools are set to welcome pupils back to the classroom on August 31.