Abu Dhabi reacts to decree on unified academic calendar

Dubai: The Ministry of Education's (MOE) decree unifying school holidays across the UAE drew mixed reactions from private schools in Abu Dhabi, Gulf News has learned.

While some school representatives have indicated that the calendar issued by the MOE provided some relief for parents, others expressed their concern regarding the length of holidays.

"Our parents had contacted us to express dismay at the holiday lengths, especially in December as they are concerned about how their children will adjust returning to a school schedule after a three-week vacation," said a representative from a private school, who wished to remain anonymous.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) previously announced that all public schools, which follow the Ministry of Education's curriculum, have aligned their holiday schedules as outlined by the ministry.

Since 2011, higher education institutions have also started following the holiday schedule set by the MOE. However, private schools in Abu Dhabi have not unified their holiday schedules as each one has set their holidays based on the needs of their curricula.

"We actually shifted from our previous school holiday calendar to the calendar set out by the Ministry. It was an easy process and we did not feel affected at all, in fact, our parents were very pleased because they had complained before about the different schedules set by schools," said Rana Abdul Majeed, principal of the Al Ain American Private School.

The school houses 700 pupils from KG1 to grade nine.

"It is also easier for our administrative and teaching staff to plan the year ahead based on the 175 working days that the MOE had decreed should be in an academic year," she added.­