UAE private schools to get three-week holiday

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UAE private schools to get three-week holiday

Dubai - Holidays will begin on December 16.

By Sarwat Nasir

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Published: Sat 8 Dec 2018, 10:00 PM

Last updated: Sun 9 Dec 2018, 2:08 PM

Students are in for a three-week-long treat as winter holidays for UAE private schools are coming up next week.
Private schools with foreign curriculum are off from December 16 and will return to school on January 6, according to the UAE Ministry of Education's (MoE) 2018-2019 academic year calendar.
Private schools that follow MoE's curriculum and public schools are off for four weeks, starting from December 16 and are back in classrooms on January 13.
Though, private schools in Dubai are allowed to reduce winter break by two weeks or extend to four weeks after seeking approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority.
Many pupils have decided that they will spend their long-awaited winter holidays 'de-stressing', rather than using the time to get ahead in their studies.
Ashna Presanth, a 9th grade student at the New Indian Model School, said: "School students are engrossed in studies most of the time. Their schedules are fully packed during the weekends, leaving no time to stretch. Most of the children have a regular routine, from morning to midnight, from school to study tables then to tuition centres and so on.
"Winter vacation is better than summer vacation, though the number of holidays is less. It has suitable climate for going trekking and hiking. It is also the starting of Dubai shopping festival and also a good time to visit Global Village.
"Loading up students with homework during the winter vacation would affect their social life and minimise their time to spend with family and friends. Keeping in mind the proverb 'an idle mind is the devils workshop', students should get minimum number of vacation assignments and worksheets. So that they will get time to engross in other wonderful activities, helping them develop their skills at the same time to improve their academic results."
An 8th grade student in Dubai, Zahra Abdul Rasheed, said the winter holidays are 'much-needed' for not just students, but also for staff.
She said it gives educators and pupils an opportunity in the middle of the school year to 'reboot their system'.
"In my opinion, winter break provides students with the much-needed opportunity to take it easy and to give their minds a break from school work in between the semesters. It's important to unwind for a bit, but students should be wary of totally shutting their minds off during the winter vacation. Avoiding brain drain is crucial, as it helps ensure students return for the new semester with fresh minds to tackle the rest of the school year with success," she said.
Meanwhile, Alicia Hol, a mother of three said her family will use the winter holidays to travel home and spend quality time together.
Hol recently lost her father and said it has reminded the family just how important it is to spend time with loved ones once holidays arrive.
"We are headed to Australia to spend Christmas with my father-in-law and the family. We recently lost my own father and it's really showed us how precious these opportunities are. I think it's important for everyone to remember there isn't always another chance, we need to take the opportunity when we can," Hol said.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com


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