<p>The growing momentum to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) education into early schooling raises critical concerns about ethical readiness. Teaching technical skills in the absence of moral development risks producing a generation ill-equipped to navigate the profound societal consequences of AI. In response to this challenge, we introduce the moral grounding model (MGM), a values-first model of education that prioritizes ethics, cultural awareness, and relational thinking before technical instruction. To support this model, we examine a range of Eastern educational traditions, demonstrating how moral and philosophical training historically preceded specialization. We further connect these traditions to contemporary AI ethics principles such as fairness, accountability, and safety, to demonstrate how foundational moral education can inform the ethical development, design, and governance of AI systems. The paper concludes by advocating a values-first curriculum that cultivates future technologists who are not only capable but ethically conscious and socially responsible.</p>