Dubai announces shortened school hours for Ramadan

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) announced on Wednesday that school timings in Dubai during Ramadan should not exceed five hours of instruction time,

Shamma Al Mansouri, Director of Permits, KHDA, said, “As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, KHDA has set a number of guidelines for Dubai private schools to consider when determining working hours, foremost of which is that the duration of the school day should not exceed five hours, and schools must finish by 12pm on Fridays."

The commencement of the holy month in the country is expected to be on 12 March, although the precise dates may vary slightly due to local moon sightings.

Meanwhile, most schools will consult with the parents to determine the actual timings and submit it to the KDHA.

Some schools have set a 7.45am to 12.45pm schedule from Monday to Thursday; and the usual school timing on Fridays.

Dubai’s education regulator has also directed the administrations of private schools in Dubai to determine the start and end.

To accommodate both the school and parents, adjustments will be made to the school hours, especially as the institutions gear up to observe the holy month.

It’s worth noting that most schools in the UAE would probably have finished their internal exams before the start of Ramadan.

Headteachers reiterated they strive to minimize assessments and keep them low-stakes during this period so that pupils can dedicate ample time to family and prayer rather than intensive studying.

Helen Hurford, Vice Principal, GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis earlier said, “We always aim to keep assessments to a minimum during Ramadan, as we want to support students to have as much time as possible for family and prayer during the Ramadan period, rather than revising.”

She added, “However, in those cases where removing an in-class assessment would be detrimental to student learning and progress, we allow the assessment to go ahead, but only low-stakes with a reduced duration and focus on specific topics. All in-class assessments are referred to as ‘Checks for Understanding’, to ensure they do not cause anxiety for students.”