The UAE’s Ministry of Education has recently announced a key update to the educational streams, general and advanced, for Cycle 3 students in both public schools and private schools that follow the ministry’s curriculum, starting from the academic year 2025–2026.
This latest update follows the conclusion of in-depth field surveys of subject specialists in the educational field and parents, highlighting student trends from recent years. The ministry explained that the update aims to align with students’ future aspirations, support their higher education journeys and enhance their ability to keep pace with the evolving labor market.
Update to prepare students for science-related university majors
The update was announced during a media briefing at the ministry’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, Mohammed Al-Qasim, Undersecretary of MoE and other Ministry officials.
The ministry ensured that curriculum alignment was a key component of the updates, with foundational scientific subjects taught to students in the general stream to help refine their skills and hone their talents. Meanwhile, the advanced stream will focus on more in-depth scientific subjects to prepare students for science-related university majors.
According to the UAE’s new educational streams structure, the advanced stream will prepare students for university studies in fields such as sciences, engineering, medicine and pharmacy.
Meanwhile, the general stream will guide students towards specializations such as humanities and literature, business administration, law, arts, social sciences and police sciences.
The UAE’s education ministry confirmed that these updates to the educational streams will not affect the academic plans of current Grade 11 and Grade 12 students. Furthermore, it announced that Grade 12 students in the general stream may replace physics with one of the alternative subjects outlined in the ministry’s recently issued guidance manual.
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Update to ensure seamless transition from education to labor market
The UAE’s Ministry of Education also emphasised the importance of Grade 8 students choosing their educational streams in line with their university aspirations, as it has set a mechanism and conditions for registration in the advanced stream.
The ministry also revealed that these updates were introduced following consultations and coordination with several higher education institutions (HEIs) across the UAE with the aim of ensuring a seamless transition for students from general education to university and ultimately to the labor market.
As part of this effort, the ministry has issued a set of guidelines and directives within the academic framework for the education sector. These are designed to support educators in providing students with a more comprehensive understanding of how to build their academic plans and choose pathways that match their career ambitions. The updates also ensure that the educational streams are in line with the admission criteria of HEIs.
Additionally, a detailed guide has been published for students and parents, explaining the updates while emphasising the important role of school counsellors in offering guidance and support throughout the students’ academic journey.
