Ministry of Education launches back-to-school campaign

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched its back-to-school campaign for the 2026-2027 academic year under the theme “Guided by the Charter, Building Tomorrow”, focusing on implementing the National Education Charter.

The Charter was signed by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Their Highnesses the Rulers of the Emirates on 28th February, 2026, coinciding with Emirati Day for Education.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the National Education Charter as the principal reference document defining the UAE’s national education goals. It establishes a sustainable framework designed to ensure the stability of the education system while enhancing its flexibility to adapt to technological developments, societal changes and labour market needs.

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of Education, said the Charter represents the UAE’s core framework for human development, stressing that the success of the education system depends on embedding its principles across schools in partnership with families and the wider community.

She said the “Guided by the Charter, Building Tomorrow” campaign translates the Charter’s principles into practical initiatives that foster national identity, critical thinking, innovation and responsibility while building an educational culture aligned with national aspirations.

“A world-class education system views education as a shared national responsibility to build future-ready generations. At MoE, we are working to make the National Education Charter a permanent compass for all educational decisions, ensuring students can turn their values, knowledge and skills into positive contributions that enhance the UAE’s global competitiveness,” Al Amiri said.

The National Education Charter was developed through more than ten consultative workshops involving over 200 representatives from 31 federal and local government and private-sector entities.

It defines the ideal UAE learner profile through three core pillars: national identity, character traits and future skills. These combine a strong sense of national pride with competencies including critical thinking, communication, creativity and artificial intelligence mastery.

To embed these pillars into school life, the campaign adopts six integrated pathways covering the alignment of the Charter’s principles with educational outcomes, empowering teachers to apply them, integrating them into daily practices, using classroom and extracurricular activities to reinforce them, aligning the student code of conduct with the Charter, and engaging families in its implementation.

During the 2026-2027 academic year, engagement will centre on “Charter Weeks” across the three school terms. Activities will connect the Charter’s principles with students’ lives and national occasions, providing opportunities to practise its core values, traits and skills in real-world settings at school, home and within the community.

The Ministry is also supporting implementation through resources including the Schools’ Guide, Parents’ Guide and National Education Charter Passport, which outline the roles of students, teachers, administrators and parents and provide practical frameworks for translating the Charter’s principles into measurable behaviours.

The Charter Passport will serve as an interactive tool allowing students to record daily actions reflecting the Charter’s principles, with teachers and parents verifying each activity with a stamp.

Students demonstrating active participation will have the opportunity to earn a Golden Passport at the end of the academic year.