UAE Aligns School Year Dates: Minor Adjustments

Unified School Year in UAE: Minor Changes in Private and Public Schools

The Ministry of Education (MoE) of the United Arab Emirates has set unified start and end dates for the school year, as well as holiday periods for all public and private schools in the country, starting from the 2025-2026 academic year. The aim of the decision is to ensure that the start and end dates of the three terms, as well as the duration of the holidays, are the same everywhere, thereby providing greater harmony and transparency for students, parents, and teachers.

Minor Changes in Schools

Although the new school year structure affects all institutions, most schools will only need to make minor adjustments. Some will adjust the start and end of terms by a few days, while others will reorganize exam periods or school events to align with the renewed schedule.

It is crucial for institutions to fulfill the annual 182 teaching days, which is why most changes will not affect the delivery of the curriculum or the administration of exams. Due to the longer winter break, some schools will introduce a reinforcing learning phase at the beginning of the second term to ensure students can resume learning smoothly.

Impact on Academic and Leisure Programs

School curricula, internal assessments, and preparatory programs, such as those for the final exams and international tests, will typically continue unchanged. There may, however, be slight shifts in the timing of excursions, cultural programs, and other community events.

For schools operating with international curricula, the changes are minimal, while some curricula – like the Indian syllabus (CBSE) – require more significant rescheduling to synchronize exam dates with official UAE holidays.

Parent Planning and Communication

Many parents have temporarily postponed booking vacations and flights until schools finalize the new academic calendar. Most institutions keep families updated continuously and strive to confirm changes officially as soon as possible.

The extended winter break is welcomed by many families, as it offers opportunities for longer trips and spending the more pleasant climatic period together in the UAE.

Conclusion

The introduction of a unified school year schedule simplifies planning between parents and schools in the long term, improves transition between terms, and allows the school year to follow the same structure across the country. While the changes may pose minor organizational challenges in the short term, the goal is to establish a more consistent and transparent educational system.

(The article's source: Statement from the Ministry of Education (MoE).)