Why some Dubai schools are moving October half-term forward

Families who booked travel or accommodations around the traditional mid-October school break may need to reconsider their plans. A growing number of private schools in Dubai have announced that this year's half-term holiday will commence a week earlier than previously scheduled. The updated dates, communicated to students upon their return to school for the 2026-27 academic year, see the half-term break extend from Monday, October 12 to Friday, October 16, allowing for a nine-day holiday that includes both weekends.

Several schools, including Dove Green Private School, Greenfield International School, Jumeirah Primary School, and Dubai British School, have informed parents via letter of the adjustment. A representative from one Dubai school stated, "We have been informed that the October half-term break will take place from Monday 12 to 16 for all schools. The school calendar will be updated accordingly," expressing regret for any inconvenience caused.

The alteration is not arbitrary. In February, the Ministry of Education unveiled a new three-year academic calendar, effective until 2029, which solidified the first midterm break for both public and private schools between October 12 and October 16. Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority, which oversees private schools across the emirate, has adopted the ministry's calendar.

Consequently, schools following the ministry's curriculum are required to align with the national schedule. Private institutions not bound by the Ministry of Education's curriculum may apply for permission to distribute their midterm break across October and February, provided the total does not exceed five school days. Sharjah's schools follow the emirate's regulatory body.

Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi curricula schools typically operate on a different academic year and are exempt from this adjustment. Each school devises its calendar based on its unique regulatory framework, whether Ministry of Education, Knowledge and Human Development Authority, emirate-level, or curriculum-specific, explaining the variance in holiday dates among institutions.

Parents should refer to their child's school calendar rather than assuming a standard holiday schedule across the UAE.

The academic year commenced on Monday, August 31, according to the Ministry of Education's school calendar. This term will span 13 weeks, encompassing 67 teaching days. Schools are scheduled for a midweek break at the beginning of December to coincide with UAE National Day, which falls on December 2 to December 3. Following the Cabinet's directive, schools will observe a winter break from Monday, December 14 to Sunday, January 3, 2027, with the last school day before the break being Friday, December 11.

Classes are set to resume on January 4. The winter break has been shortened by a week from the previous four-week period in the 2025-26 academic year, now running from December 14 to January 3, 2027. Schools outside the unified calendar may still determine their own winter and end-of-year breaks. The academic year will conclude on July 2, 2027.