{
  "id": 3922595,
  "title": "UAE sets four-day phased return for students as new school year begins",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/28/uae-sets-four-day-phased-return-for-students-as-new-school-year-begins",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-28T07:59:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/education/uae-sets-four-day-phased-return-for-students-as-new-school-year-begins-1.500655204"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Dubai schools will gradually resume classes over a four-day period starting Monday, August 31, as part of the Ministry of Education's initiative to ease students back into the 2026-27 academic year. The phased return will conclude on Friday, September 4. Individual schools will determine which year groups attend on each day, following reduced school hours from Monday to Thursday. Reduced-hour schedules vary by grade level, with Kindergarten pupils attending from 8:15 am to 11:30 am and Cycle 1 boys from 7:15 am to 12:15 pm. Friday will see all students returning to their regular schedule. The ministry's framework provides flexibility for principals to rearrange the sequence of year groups or extend the number of days students attend, depending on their readiness and needs. Schools must coordinate any changes with transport providers to prevent conflicts involving shared bus routes. The framework also outlines five teams responsible for managing the return: school management, activities and events, parent communication, reception and support, and security and safety. These teams will handle various aspects, including school facilities, safety preparations, transport arrangements, communication with families, and activities to welcome students. After the phased return, schools will assess the process by measuring parents' satisfaction with the reception campaign, seeking feedback from students, and submitting reports on activities carried out during the opening period.",
  "summary": "Dubai: Students in the UAE will return to school in stages over four days under a Ministry of Education plan designed to ease pupils into the 2026-27 academic year before all students resume attendance on Friday, September 4. The phased return will run from Monday, August 31, to Thursday, September 3, with individual schools deciding which year groups attend on each day. Students scheduled to…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}