UAE school term dates for next three years announced

Ministry of Education reveals academic calendar for private and public schools

Parents see off their children off to classes for the first time since March in August 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Naividh Pillai, aged 3, looks a little bewildered as he arrives for his first day at Gems Wellington Academy with sister Alaikha and parents Meera and Deepesh. Antonie Robertson / The National

Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Antonie Robertson/The National

Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Thermal monitors at the entrance scan people for signs of fever or high temperature. Antonie Robertson/The National

Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Antonie Robertson / The National

A pupil wearing a colourful face shield arrives at Horizon International School in Dubai on Sunday. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A mother helps her son sanitise his hands as he arrives at Horizon school. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Children arrive for school at Horizon International School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Children arrive for school at Horizon International School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

A pupil gets her temperature checked at the entrance of Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National

Pupils return to Al Mizhar American Academy in Dubai. Shruti Jain for The National

A staff member assists a pupil as Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National

Tarryn Patel, a homeroom teacher from South Africa, attends to her grade 1 pupil at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National

Pupils are spaced apart at the cafetaria at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National

Authorities have announced the academic calendar for this year and the next two years for all public and private schools in the UAE.

Pupils in private schools will get a three-week winter break that starts on December 13.

The second term will start on January 3, 2021.

Schools will get a two-week spring break from March 28 to April 15 next year and classes will resume on April 18.

The last day of school for the academic year 2020-2021 will be July 1.

The academic calendar was approved by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs and the Ministerial Development Council.

The current academic year and 2022-2023 will be of 188 days for private schools.

Children will go to school 186 days in the 2021-2022 school year.

Pupils in public schools and the ones that follow the Ministry of Education curriculum will attend lessons 182 days every year.

Pupils will return to school a day earlier in the new academic year on August 29 next year and on August 28 in 2022.

These dates apply to all public and private schools.

The term dates for 2021-2022 are:

Winter break: December 12 to 30 in 2021

Spring break: March 27 to April 14, 2022

Term dates for 2022-2023 are:

Winter break: December 11, 2022 to January 1, 2023

Spring break: March 26, 2023 to April 13, 2023

This year, parents were given the option to opt for online classes or face-to-face lessons on the campus.

On Sunday, the Dubai Health Authority reissued guidance to parents, children and teachers as numbers of new cases soared two weeks after pupils went back to school on August 31.

Dr Hend Al Awadhi, head of health promotion and education at the DHA, said children needed to be reminded of the threats to public health.

Pupils must disinfect books, smart devices and lunch boxes every day at school.

A ban on high-fives, sharing food and spreading rumours related to Covid-19 are also some of the measures in place to protect youngsters from the contagion, the authorities said.