President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan congratulated students, teachers, school administrators, and parents on Monday as the UAE’s 2026-2027 academic year opened, wishing them a successful year that supports the country’s educational journey.
In a message posted on X, the President described children as the nation’s “true wealth” and encouraged students to begin the year with optimism, ambition, and determination, urging them to make the most of every opportunity to gain knowledge and life skills. He also called for continued cooperation between families and schools to foster a passion for lifelong learning, equip students with future-ready skills, and reinforce a strong sense of identity and values.
The message came as more than 1.277 million students returned to over 1,180 schools across the country for the first day of the 2026-2027 academic year. The year is the first covered by the UAE’s new three-year academic calendar, which sets confirmed dates for public and private schools through 2029.
Other members of the leadership also marked the occasion. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Education, Human Resources and Community Development Council, welcomed the new year, while Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice Chair of the Council, said students should be given opportunities to discover their strengths, build confidence, and prepare for their futures.
The academic year begins under the Ministry of Education’s back-to-school campaign themed around the National Education Charter, which the President and the country’s rulers signed on February 28, 2026, to coincide with UAE Education Day. The Charter serves as a national framework built around three dimensions: national identity, personal attributes, and future skills.
