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New academic calendar in UAE: All changes, updates since last year
Private schools that follow other curricula are permitted to schedule two mid-term breaks, one in October and another in February
A new unified academic calendar structure for the 2025–2026 school year announced on Wednesday applies to all government and private schools following the government curriculum, the Ministry of Education has confirmed to Khaleej Times.
Meanwhile, private schools that follow other curricula are permitted to schedule two mid-term breaks — one in October and another in February — each not exceeding five consecutive days.
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These breaks must fall within the designated months and cannot be extended or rescheduled, ensuring alignment with the national academic framework while accommodating individual school operations.
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The new calendar outlines standardised dates for the start of the school year, the end of each of the three terms, and the mid-year breaks.
Compared to the previous 2024–2025 academic year, the updated calendar features several key changes in term dates and holiday durations:
Start of the school year
The new school year will start on August 25, 2025, instead of August 26, 2024, as it did in the previous year.
Winter break
The break will last four weeks, from December 8, 2025, to January 4, 2026. According to the MoE portal, the break in the 2024–2025 academic year was three weeks, from December 16, 2024, to January 5, 2025.
Spring break
For public schools and private schools adhering to the Ministry curriculum, the spring break will be two weeks long, from March 16 to March 29, 2026. In contrast, private schools in Sharjah will have a shorter break of only one week, from March 6 to March 22, 2026.
Previously, spring break lasted three weeks, from March 24 to April 3, 2025.
End of the school year
The academic year will conclude on July 3, 2026, compared to June 30, 2025, when it ended in the previous academic year.
Sara AlKuwari
Sara AlKuwari is an Emirati reporter who may look shy and quiet but is determined and has a strong desire to highlight Emirati culture in an impactful way. She is also a tea lover and an avid reader.
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