Alef Education extends AI-powered learning across Central Asia with Tajikistan partnership

The Abu Dhabi-based education technology leader is bringing personalised learning solutions to 250,000 students, marking a significant step in its international expansion.

Quality education need not be constrained by geography or language. This principle animates a new partnership between Alef Education, the UAE-based education technology innovator, and Soro AI Limited, which will bring artificial intelligence-powered learning to a quarter of a million students across Central Asia, beginning with Tajikistan.

The collaboration brings together two complementary strengths: Alef’s structured learning content and personalised education approach with Soro AI’s expertise in local-language technology and curriculum development. Together, they will adapt Alef Pathways, the company’s core learning solution covering English, Mathematics and Science, to reflect the proficiency levels, national curricula and educational priorities of students in Tajikistan, with expansion planned into Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.

Geoffrey Alphonso, Chief Executive Officer of Alef Education, articulates the philosophy underpinning the venture: “To effectively expand access to quality education, it is important to understand how students learn, what teachers need and how learning solutions can be adapted to different education systems.” The partnership, he suggests, represents a recognition that technology alone cannot bridge the education divide. What matters is understanding local context, working with partners who speak the language and know the culture, and building solutions that serve genuine educational needs.

The initiative begins with a pilot programme scheduled for January 2027, when Alef and Soro will introduce English Pathways to Grade 11 students and teachers in selected public schools across Tajikistan. The pilot will measure student participation, track learning progress and gather teacher feedback, all essential intelligence for the next phase of rollout. Following this initial stage, as we reported in our coverage of Alef Education’s demonstration of responsible AI learning at Abu Dhabi’s premier technology summit, the company has consistently emphasised the importance of thoughtful, human-centred approaches to educational technology.

Azizjon Azimi, founder of zypl.ai, frames the partnership as scaling a vision that has already taken root in the region. “Our work in Tajikistan has focused on making AI accessible and relevant to schools nationwide with a globally replicable playbook,” he explains. The partnership extends this mission, combining local expertise with global educational excellence to create learning experiences that strengthen students’ knowledge and skills whilst supporting teachers in the classroom.

By September 2027, subject to technical readiness and curriculum alignment, the companies plan a broader deployment adding Mathematics and Science to the English programme. Each subject will be carefully adapted to local curricula and media of instruction, with Alef Pathways integrated alongside Soro’s existing AI-powered teaching tools.

The announcement came during AICONF, held in Dushanbe on 30th and 31st October 2026, a forum bringing together education and technology leaders from across the region.

Source: WAM

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This partnership reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a hub of educational innovation and technological excellence. Alef Education, rooted in the emirate, is demonstrating how UAE-based expertise in education technology can serve global communities, extending the reach of sophisticated learning solutions to hundreds of thousands of young people across Central Asia. The expansion reflects the emirate’s commitment to fostering knowledge-driven enterprises that tackle pressing challenges in education access and quality.

The initiative also exemplifies a model of international partnership increasingly championed across the UAE: combining local understanding with global best practice. By working closely with partners who understand regional contexts, Alef Education is creating a template for how educational technology companies can responsibly scale their impact whilst honouring the particular needs and priorities of different education systems. This approach strengthens the UAE’s reputation as a thoughtful leader in the application of artificial intelligence to human flourishing.