UAE marks International Day of Education on January 24 by reaffirming its global commitment to equitable access, launching projects across Africa and the Middle East, and expanding its Digital School initiative.
ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates will mark International Day of Education on January 24, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the right to education for all, especially in regions facing humanitarian crises. The day highlights the UAE’s long-standing belief that education is the key to sustainable development and future prosperity.
Globally, the UAE has contributed to expanding educational access through a wide range of initiatives across Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. In Senegal, the UAE opened the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Vocational Education, providing capacity for 1,000 students to acquire practical and cognitive skills that support local development.
In Yemen, the UAE launched the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Educational Complexes in Al-Azariq and Jahaf Districts in October 2025. These facilities offer 24 classrooms each, along with fully equipped computer labs and science halls, to serve both primary and secondary students.
The Emirates Red Crescent distributed 26,000 school bags to students in Al Hudaydah and Taiz under its “School Bag Project,” enhancing access to basic educational materials.
The UAE is also one of the largest contributors to international education funds. Since 2018, it has provided US$200 million to the Global Partnership for Education, supporting projects in developing countries through 2025.
A standout initiative is the Digital School, launched in 2020 by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI). Over 750,000 students and 23,000 digital teachers have benefited so far. The school launched key partnerships in November 2025 with Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Youth Development, aiming to equip young people with digital skills.
In October 2025, a new programme was launched in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in collaboration with its Ministry of Education and Arizona State University, targeting the training of 10,000 teachers in digital education.
Locally, education continues to serve as a central pillar of national development. The Emirati Day for Education, observed annually on February 28, commemorates the first graduating class of UAEU teachers in 1982.
Over the past year, the UAE’s education sector introduced updated curricula, new talent development initiatives, and research-focused projects aimed at driving technological and socio-economic growth.
