UAE schools to reopen: Everything parents need to know

Dubai: The UAE's Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on April 15 that regular in-person classes will resume across all nurseries, kindergartens, and public and private schools on Monday, April 20.

The decision ends days of confusion and speculation over how long distance learning would continue and sets out a clear path for schools navigating the uncertainties of the current regional climate.

Here's what you need to know.

Regular classes on campuses will resume in all nurseries, kindergartens, and public and private schools in the UAE on Monday, April 20, 2026, according to MOE.

While most schools are set to welcome students back to classrooms, flexibility will remain a key part of the transition. Dubai’s KHDA said returns will be carefully managed, with approvals granted only after schools meet strict health and safety requirements.

Parents are advised to follow their child’s school announcements for the latest updates.

Private early childhood centres in Dubai have gradually returned to on-site learning from Thursday, April 16, starting with those in government and commercial buildings, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced on Tuesday.

Priority will be given to these nurseries, while others can continue offering home-based childcare under approved rules.

On April 11, the KHDA has introduced two new services for children up to six years old. Nurseries can now run small groups of up to eight children from different families in home settings, and can also send teachers into homes for one-to-one or small-group sessions with up to four siblings.

Yes, school bus services across all public and private schools in the UAE will resume from Monday, April 20, 2026, following ongoing assessments by national emergency and education authorities.

Dubai’s KHDA confirmed the restart for private schools in line with approved safety protocols, while transport services will also resume in Sharjah and Ajman from the same date.

Additionally, the UAE’s The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced that all public and private higher education institutions will resume in-person learning starting Monday, April 20, 2026.

Some universities are taking varied approaches. American University of Sharjah will have faculty and staff return from April 20, while students continue online for the rest of the spring term.

Middlesex University Dubai will maintain fully online teaching with remote support, while the University of Dubai will resume in-person classes and on-campus operations from April 20.

Across the UAE, institutions are balancing returns to campus with hybrid or remote learning, depending on operational readiness.

The situation regarding international examinations has evolved considerably. Several major awarding bodies have cancelled their external examinations in the UAE for 2026. These include:

This means that qualifications including IGCSEs and A Levels will not have external exams in the UAE this year. Schools and awarding bodies are expected to communicate directly with students about how grades will be determined.

Private schools will have the flexibility to adopt a hybrid rotational model when needed, subject to approved regulations and oversight by local education authorities, based on each school's readiness.

However, the Ministry clarified that schools using this model must organise staff deployment carefully, the same teacher cannot be assigned to deliver both in-person and remote lessons at the same time. This is to protect education quality and ensure a balanced workload for teaching staff.

Distance learning was introduced on March 2, 2026 as a precautionary measure amid regional security concerns linked to ongoing conflict in the area, following Iran's attacks on Gulf countries, including the UAE.

The arrangement was initially set to run until March 6, before officials brought the spring break forward. Remote learning was extended in stages as authorities continued to monitor the situation and prioritise the safety of students and staff.

This article was originally published on April 14 and has been updated since.