The UAE Ministry of Education will stop assigning traditional homework to pupils from kindergarten to Grade 2 from 2026-27, in a move to reduce stress and promote holistic early learning through skill-based education and revised assessment methods.
The UAE Ministry of Education has said public school pupils from kindergarten to Grade 2 will no longer be assigned traditional homework from the 2026-27 academic year, a change intended to give younger children more time for rest, reading, play and family life. Reporting by Gulf News and Khaleej Times says the policy is part of a broader push to improve early learning and reduce pressure on small children.
Instead of homework, schools will place greater emphasis on literacy, communication and other basic skills during the school day. The ministry is also moving further towards skill-based education rather than a model built mainly around theory, according to Gulf News. Khaleej Times said families are still being encouraged to keep up a simple daily reading routine at home.
The homework change sits alongside a wider set of reforms for the next school year. Gulf News reported that the ministry has introduced a 50-50 assessment system for some students, splitting evaluation between centralised tests and school-based assessments, while also reviewing the use of digital tools in classrooms.
The shift follows other recent changes to assessment in UAE public schools. Gulf News reported earlier that second-term exams were cancelled for the 2025-26 academic year, with schools instead relying on continuous evaluation and school-based summative assessments. Taken together, the measures point to a broader effort to cut stress, modernise testing and rebalance learning inside and outside the classroom.
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