Sharjah schools introduce ethical AI framework: students can research but not submit AI-written work

Schools in Sharjah are introducing new guidelines on artificial intelligence use. The Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) has launched an ethical framework for AI use in educational institutions that sets expectations for students, teachers, school leaders, parents and IT teams.

The framework allows students to use AI tools such as ChatGPT to research topics and explore ideas, but prohibits relying on them to write answers or complete assignments. Students are expected to produce original work and disclose AI use where appropriate.

School principals emphasise that the aim is to ensure academic honesty and develop critical-thinking skills. AI should encourage students to question and analyse information rather than supply ready-made answers. Teachers plan to use assessments and prompts that allow direct evaluation of student understanding. The framework aims to improve education quality and support digital transformation while safeguarding student privacy, data protection and academic integrity, aligned with UAE national directives.