UAE Schools' Extended Break Sparks Learning Worries

Long Winter Break in UAE Schools: Educators Fear Learning Regression

As the nearly month-long winter break begins in the United Arab Emirates, many students happily turn away from school to embrace relaxation, the festive spirit, and family activities. However, school administrators urge caution: while rest is crucial, a complete pause in studies can have significant consequences for students' development.

December 5 to January 4 – A Rarely Seen Length of Break

The length of this year's winter break in UAE schools is extraordinary. The last day of classes for institutions following the international curriculum is December 5, with students returning to school on January 5, marking a full four-week hiatus. This extended period provides an opportunity for recuperation while also posing a challenge for educators and parents.

Learning Regression: Not Just a Theoretical Threat

According to principals and curriculum experts, learning regression is not just a theoretical concept but an observable phenomenon each year. Students' academic momentum is disrupted, especially in fundamental skills like math and reading. Research indicates that longer school breaks can result in a 20-30% regression in these critical areas.

Finding Balance Between Rest and Mental Activity

Most schools emphasize that the goal is not for children to study during the break, but rather not to completely disconnect mentally. The director of a British school in Ajman, for instance, reports that they do not assign mandatory homework over the winter break; instead, they provide suggestions for light, fun activities that stimulate thinking.

Such activities might include reading a short story at night, measuring while cooking, journaling, or discovering patterns in nature. These simple, playful tasks help keep children's minds active without making them feel like they are in school.

The Resumption of the School Year Matters

Experts also warn that managing the transition upon returning in January is critically important. Schools employ a "soft return" strategy: gradually reintegrating students into the educational environment with wellness checks, low-stakes assessments, and confidence-building sessions.

The aim is for children to feel reassured rather than stressed about returning, facilitating a smooth restart to the learning process.

International Data Supports the Concerns

The director of a renowned international school in Dubai highlighted that the issue of learning regression is not new and concerns education researchers globally. An OECD report specifically noted that longer breaks lead to noticeable knowledge loss, particularly in math and reading comprehension.

In response, the school provides numerous online resources for families wanting to maintain educational continuity, while also accommodating parents' diverse schedules and rest habits. Reading, as a form of mental activity, plays a pivotal role: 10-15 minutes of daily reading can suffice to keep the brain in shape.

Learning at Home in a Playful and Natural Way

Curriculum experts suggest that parents can do much to prevent learning regression at home — without putting pressure on their children. Suggestions based on the "low-pressure academic continuity" principle rely on simple yet effective methods: cooking together with measurements, making a shopping list with counting, estimating travel times, having creative conversations, and even educational board games help keep children's minds active.

These small, everyday habits not only maintain learning abilities but also strengthen parent-child relationships. Learning, therefore, doesn't necessarily involve textbooks or workbooks — real life can be as much a classroom as school.

Preparing for the Restart

Most educators agree it is entirely natural for students to require a few days to readjust to their usual rhythm after a long break. Experience suggests that three to five days might be sufficient to restore attention and concentration if the return is consciously prepared.

To this end, schools work with pre-planned return protocols: gradual review of content, low-stakes tests, wellness assessments, and motivational classes characterize the first days of the school year.

Summary

The long winter break in UAE schools offers an opportunity for physical and mental refreshment, but it also carries risks regarding academic progress. Schools and educators aim to minimize these risks — not through compulsion, but with recommendations, experience-based activities, and gradual reintegration.

Parents play a crucial role in this process: if family relaxation can be blended with light mental activity, children can return to school in January not only refreshed but confident. The goal is not to maximize performance during the break but to find balance — between development and rest.

(Source: Requested by Dubai school directors.)