UAE: Thousands of teachers to undergo AI-driven assessment to boost student skills

Khaleej Times

5 hours ago

Thousands of teachers will undergo an artificial intelligence-driven gap analysis to understand how to ensure they nurture the cognitive and practical skills of young students to thrive, said Sarah Al Amiri, the UAE's Minister of Education.
"We have redesigned the competency framework for educators because their role needs to evolve to equip them with the skills needed to guide learners in an AI and tech-rich world. This very week, we have thousands of educators across the UAE to undergo AI-driven gap analysis to understand better how to bridge the gap from where educators are today to where they need to be," Al Amiri said during the ForsaTEK — an annual event hosted by Emirates Group to showcase its innovation, proof of concepts, technology and start-up ecosystems.
'Our goal is to empower educators – and not replace them – to ensure they can nurture the cognitive, ethical and practical skills our young people need to thrive,' she said while speaking on the topic of 'How technology is redefining public education.'
The UAE has been aggressively promoting AI in the education sector, as the country plans to introduce AI as a subject across all public schools from next year to prepare the next generation for a different future.
'Educators can no longer be simply deliverers of knowledge because information is everywhere. Instead, they must become enhancers of skills, guides and mentors for students instead of values and purpose.
'The human relationship between educator and learner remains irreplaceable, even in the age of AI; an effective educator today helps students develop deeper reasoning, build confidence to question and explore, cultivate a sense of responsibility and ethics in using technologies in the UAE, we are taking this quite seriously. We are revamping our data collection analytics to allow AI to support smart decisions at all levels of the education system,' she said in her speech.
She pointed out that traditional classroom models are struggling to engage students who are closest to technology, specifically upper grades transitioning into university, and as a result, fewer young people aspire to become educators.
Weakens students' critical thinking
The minister warned that if students become passive consumers of AI outputs, this could weaken their ability to think critically and independently.
She noted that studies are already indicating that AI use can impact cognitive development, particularly in areas such as reasoning and problem-solving.
'If it's not guided carefully, over-reliance on AI may lead to superficial learning, knowing the answer but not understanding the process. If students become passive consumers of AI outputs, we risk weakening their ability to think critically and independently, and this will impact the outcome of the workforce,' the UAE minister said, adding that the development of human skills must be prioritised.
'When people understand how things work, the logic, the mechanics of the system, they become better and more discerning users of technology. They can apply judgment, adapt to new tools and spot errors. They remain resilient as technology evolves in a world of AI. It is not enough to know how to use those tools. You must teach people to understand when and why to use them and when not to. Skills such as reasoning, curiosity, resilience, and ethical judgment will remain essential in education, in aviation and beyond. This also means that the role of the educator must evolve,' she added.