UAE Education Ministry revises school hours, add remote Fridays for Ramadan 2026
Teaching and administrative staff will work five and a half hours daily
Dubai: The Ministry of Education has restructured the school day for Ramadan 2026, reducing lesson durations and introducing flexible schedules to accommodate the holy month while maintaining academic standards.
Under a comprehensive guide issued by the Ministry’s School Operations Sector, lesson periods will be shortened to 35 minutes, with two daily breaks of 10 minutes each. The ministry said the framework ensures respect for Ramadan’s spiritual character while sustaining efficient and disciplined educational delivery. The revised school day is applied to schools following the government curriculum.
Kindergarten hours will run from 9am to 12 noon, with three lessons daily. For Cycle One students, schools may choose between 8am to 12 noon. or 9am to 1:00 pm from Monday to Thursday, while Fridays will be dedicated to remote learning.
For Cycles Two and Three, boys will attend from 8am to 1pm, while girls from 9am to 2pm, with Friday remote sessions continuing.
Teaching and administrative staff will work five and a half hours daily. The ministry stressed coordination on transport schedules, structured assessments after the first break, and mandatory attendance throughout the shortened school day.
Parents were urged to support students’ wellbeing through balanced nutrition, adequate hydration and structured study routines. The ministry said close cooperation between schools and families would be key to sustaining educational quality during Ramadan.
