SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Getting the youth ready for the future involves much more than codes, theories and numbers that can be crunched instantly in this AI era. School leaders in the UAE say soft skills matter now more than ever — and, above all, students need the ability to adapt, thrive and grow in a fast-changing world.
"Adaptability has become one of the most important skills," said Anthony Moran, Digital Learning, Technology and Innovation at The English College.
Schools, he said, must focus on developing skills that help students succeed at a time when landscapes, industries and technologies evolve faster than people can master them.
Wayne Howsen, Principal of The Aquila School, described a future-ready student as someone equipped to embrace that constant change: "curious, compassionate and confident", and determined to make a positive difference in the world.
Rather than preparing students for a single profession, he said, schools should focus on nurturing agile, versatile learners.
Moran added that resilience is equally essential, since innovation depends on learning from mistakes and continually adjusting to new technologies.
Beyond adaptability, curiosity and lifelong learning have also emerged as defining skills for tomorrow's workforce, the experts said.
Moran said schools can turn curiosity into innovation by giving students room to create, experiment and solve real-world problems.
"Students remember what they create far more than what they're told.”
He added that maker spaces and project-based learning encourage students to design, build, test and refine their own ideas while developing creativity, resilience and problem-solving skills through hands-on work.
Gillian Hammond, Principal of Aspen Heights British School, agreed that students must be "intellectually curious", but said that curiosity has to come paired with confidence and digital fluency.
The goal, she said, is to inspire students not just to adapt to the future but to shape it.
Hammond noted that combining academic learning with AI, STEM, sustainability, enterprise and vocational pathways helps equip students with the practical and technical skills needed to support the UAE's ambitions in advanced technology, clean energy and knowledge-based industries.
All three educators stressed that technology should enhance, not replace, the qualities that make students uniquely human.
"AI should enhance learning, not replace the uniquely human qualities that define successful learners and leaders," Howsen said. Curiosity, creativity, empathy and critical thinking must remain central to learning as students prepare for an AI-enabled future.
Hammond added: "Artificial intelligence will transform how we learn and work, but it will never replace human curiosity, compassion or creativity."
Schools, she said, have a responsibility to teach students to use AI ethically while strengthening critical thinking, communication and sound judgement.
Moran agreed, saying students should learn to work alongside AI. "We should not teach students to compete with AI; we should teach them how to use it effectively," he said, adding that students must learn to question AI-generated information, recognise bias, and develop the creativity, teamwork and empathy technology cannot replicate.
Beyond digital skills, the educators agreed that leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation are best learned through practical experience.
"Young people develop leadership, enterprise and innovation when they are trusted to solve real problems, take responsibility and learn from both success and failure," Howsen said.
Hammond added that authentic experiences, vocational education and entrepreneurship help students translate ideas into meaningful impact: "Every young person has the potential to innovate and lead with purpose."
Moran emphasised that leadership cannot be taught through theory alone. Giving students opportunities to build, collaborate, lead projects and make decisions develops confidence alongside technical skills. "Leadership is not something you learn from a PowerPoint,” he said.