School corridors across the UAE buzzed with excitement as pupils started the 2026-27 academic year on Monday, with summer routines making way for new classrooms, teachers and reunions with friends.
At Muna British Academy on Saadiyat Island, the campus was filled with renewed energy, as parents, teachers and children greeted one another. The school welcomed more than 1,300 pupils this year, up from a roll of 900 last year, and is now open to years eight and nine.
Excitement on first day back
Principal Ian Pugh told The National: “We're to open our doors and welcome everybody.” He said the first week will feature “a lot of pastoral activities, kids getting to know each other, their teachers. We want this week to be about joy, friendship, care, and happiness. After this week, those things have to remain but we get stuck into some serious learning as well.”
Maths teacher James Turner said pupils took part in a scavenger hunt to explore new learning areas, meet new starters and take part in team-building sports activities.
Parents said their children had been counting down the days to return. Dr Mariam AlMansoori, an Emirati mother, said her four children – Maha, Mai, Amer and Mohammed – are excited to be back.
Nader Sadek from Egypt, whose daughter Maribella attends the school, told The National he was looking forward to the new academic year.
“I am optimistic about this year,” Mr Sadek said. “The first day is always very hectic. Maribella was excited to reunite with her friends and make new ones.”
New pupil Jason, 10, said he was looking forward to making friends and doing well academically, while Aishani Kataru, 12, said she was excited to meet new teachers and classmates.
Yara and Mariah, both 12, were excited and nervous when they walked into school to start the new year. “My goal is to stay focused in class and not miss out on key information,” Yara said.
Some schools in the UAE opted for a staggered start. Brighton College Abu Dhabi welcomed new pupils for induction, which head teacher Barney Durrant described as a positive beginning.
“It has started with laughter, smiles and a great deal of positivity,” he said. “Seeing the joy as our pupils saw both their friends and their teachers again was heart-warming, and indicative of the strength of community that exists at Brighton.”
Hopes for normal school year
Ian Pugh, Muna British Academy’s principal, who took up the post only this year, said the school remains prepared for possible disruption linked to the Iran war, noting that emergency protocols rehearsed last year remain in place.
“We've got our trust in the UAE authorities but the same plans exist as they did last academic year,” Mr Pugh said. “We've already rehearsed various emergency protocols with our staff and are prepared for all eventualities.”
Mr Turner said he hoped for a smoother year, praising pupils’ resilience during the previous term.
From the parent side, Dr AlMansoori said the disruption had taught families to stay flexible and keep a “Plan B” in mind.
“We always have a Plan B … and are always encouraged to support our kids and the school environment,” she said.
AI integration
The school, like many others in the emirate, has integrated artificial-intelligence literacy into its curriculum this term, following the Ministry of Education’s new manual on the safe and responsible use of AI in classrooms.
Mr Turner said teachers now deliver AI-related content across subjects, alongside computer science, robotics and coding on the curriculum. “We have a robust system in place where our teachers have an AI curriculum, so that it is delivered through all our different subjects where the teachers feel confident,” he said.
Mr Sadek said he was keen to see how the school adopts AI and believes it is important for his daughter’s future.
“Hopefully this year will be very good, especially with the rules for AI. I'm so excited about AI because I believe that nobody can find any jobs without AI or coding or robotics,” he said.
