Sharjah Private Education Authority Launches AI Ethics Framework for Schools

Overview

The Sharjah Private Education Authority has introduced an ethical framework to guide the safe, responsible and effective use of artificial intelligence in schools and other educational institutions across the emirate. It aims to raise the quality of education, support digital transformation and allow teachers and students to benefit from AI while protecting privacy, safeguarding data and preserving academic integrity.

Guidelines and Responsibilities

Aligned with the UAE’s national directives and values, the guidelines stress fairness, transparency, accountability, human oversight, cybersecurity and critical thinking, and they emphasise the need to verify AI-generated information and content.

Aisha Butti Al Ghafli, director of the Curriculum and Assessment Department at SPEA, said the framework reflected the authority’s commitment to integrating modern technologies into education while protecting learners’ data, reinforcing the role of teachers and developing students’ critical thinking skills.

The framework also seeks to support personalised learning, encourage innovation, enhance teachers’ digital proficiency and equip students with the skills needed for the future, while raising awareness of responsible AI use, data protection and adherence to ethical practices.

It provides practical guidance for educational institutions across Sharjah, taking into account different curricula and learning environments, and outlines the responsibilities of school leaders, teachers, students, IT teams, education specialists and parents.

To safeguard academic integrity, the guidelines set out rules for using AI in assignments, projects and assessments; they require students to disclose AI use where appropriate and ensure that AI-generated content does not replace students’ original work or undermine the role of teachers. Educational institutions are also required to verify AI-generated information and check its sources.

The framework also sets standards for AI use in institutional media and promotional materials, aiming to safeguard official symbols and the institution’s visual identity, guarantee content accuracy and ensure compliance with approved standards.

This initiative forms part of SPEA’s drive to stay abreast of technological advances, maintain educational standards, safeguard learners’ rights and keep the human role at the heart of learning.