Schools in Dubai are being given specific guidelines on the use of AI in classrooms, which are expected to come into effect next year.
The director general of the emirate's Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) said the organisation was trying to find a balance between preparing pupils for a digital world and preventing excessive or inappropriate use of technology.
Details have not been revealed, but it is expected the guidance will cover how schools use AI, the safeguards they should put in place and the role of parents in its use.
“We want to have a very clear direction on the use of AI and technology,” said Aisha Miran, KHDA director general, speaking at a media event on Thursday. “The whole intention is when is the right time to use it to strengthen student learning, and when they should be careful about using it.”
The KHDA is also considering when technology should first become part of a child's education, she added. Ms Miran said no decision had yet been made on whether particular age groups should face limits. Instead, the authority is working towards what she described as a balanced approach.
“We cannot abandon digital technology,” she said. “We want to embrace it.”
The policy is expected to consider a pupil's age and stage of development before setting out at what stage AI or other technology can improve learning. The KHDA is also working with other authorities on finding a balance when it comes to educating families on screen-time awareness.
Ms Miran said schools could not address the issue alone because children's screen use continued after they returned home. She said even a school with no screen use would have limited impact if a child then spent several hours using a tablet at home.
A new digital frontier
Last month, The National reported how schools in the UAE were introducing AI into lessons while also trying to avoid increasing pupils’ screen time after an AI curriculum was approved.
In September, the UAE Cabinet approved measures that will give AI a more prominent role across government and the country's education sector. The government plans to train 22,000 teachers and educators to use AI in teaching, assessment and lesson planning.
The authority was unlikely to dictate which AI platforms schools should use, said Ms Miran. Instead, standards could set out safeguards schools must consider before introducing a platform.
“We're going to have some sort of standardisation, but still not hinder innovation because for us innovation is important as well,” she said.
Dubai's Education 33 strategy, launched in October 2024, has future skills, critical thinking and personalised learning among its priorities.
Ms Miran said safeguarding children would remain central to the new policy. The aim, she said, is to develop pupils who are able to use technology responsibly rather than simply restricting access to it.
Growing in numbers
Her comments came as the number of pupils attending Dubai private schools has reached about 406,500, up 4.6 per cent since June, as authorities work on plans to bring more schools closer to where families live.
An education master plan was being developed to make sure school supply keeps pace with Dubai's growing population, said Ms Miran.
The plan will look at where schools are needed, the curriculums families want and the level of fees they can afford. The master plan will also aim to make sure areas of Dubai don't have too many or too few school places. The aim is for families to have access to the type of school they want without long daily journeys across the city.
Ms Miran gave the example of an area where families may want a UK curriculum school within a particular fee range. She said the aim would be to provide that option closer to the community rather than to require pupils to travel for 45 minutes or an hour.
Schools within 20 minutes
The approach will support Dubai's wider ambition to become a 20-minute city. Under the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan, authorities want residents to be able to reach most daily needs within a 20-minute walk or cycle. Ms Miran said schools should form part of that approach.
“We would love to see our kids going to school walking or cycling,” she said. For families travelling by car or school bus, the KHDA wants journey times to remain reasonable, she added.
