Unified holidays for schools and universities in UAE

Dubai: Public schools and higher education institutions in the UAE will have holidays at the same time.

The move to unify the holidays was approved by the Cabinet at yesterday's session chaired by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Cabinet decision to unify the academic calendar for schools and universities is expected to reflect positively on the UAE community.

As per the decision, public schools will have three weeks' holiday after the first semester, and two weeks after the second semester.

The Cabinet also approved this year's budget for Zakat Fund and Emirates Investment Authority, and endorsed the signing of a number of agreements on avoiding double taxation and curbing fiscal evasion related to income tax between the UAE and friendly countries.

It also approved the setting up of the 40th National Day celebrations committee, which will be chaired by Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.

The Cabinet also approved an MoU signed by the GCC and Australia on strategic dialogue and the signing of an air transport agreement between the UAE government and Albania.