UAE Government Announces Flexible Working Hours for Parents as New School Year Begins

Government employees across the UAE will be permitted to work flexible hours to accompany their children to and from schools and nurseries for the start of the new academic year next week.

Staff with children in primary and secondary schools may choose to start late and leave work early, as long as the total time away does not exceed three hours. Issued by the Federal Authority for Government Resources, this ruling applies specifically to the first day back at school and accounts for staggered classroom returns.

Consequently, working parents can utilize flexible schedules regardless of whether their child returns to school on Monday or later in the week. Similar directives apply to government staff with children in nursery, though these provisions extend across the entire first week of the 2026-27 academic year.

Federal government employees are also permitted to attend significant school events for their children, provided their absence does not disrupt operations. Staff may request up to three hours off to participate in school meetings, graduation ceremonies, special occasions, or activities, as long as it does not interfere with work duties or federal HR laws.

First introduced in the UAE in 2018, the flexible working plan aims to enhance work-life balance for federal employees. Hundreds of thousands of students are scheduled to return to classrooms across the UAE starting Monday, with British, American, and Indian curriculum schools among those commencing the new academic year at the end of August. (Note: The school year for Indian-curriculum schools begins in April, with the summer holiday serving as an interlude in their calendar.)

Traffic and Transport Measures

Police authorities throughout the UAE are ramping up traffic and transportation measures in anticipation of school reopenings. Dubai Police will deploy 253 patrols and 28 drones near schools, while the RTA will increase bus frequencies on more than 30 routes and deploy additional taxis to school zones.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah police will enhance patrols around schools and major intersections. Ajman will position officers to manage traffic, oversee pedestrian crossings, and monitor school buses, and Ras Al Khaimah Police will likewise increase patrols around educational institutions to organize traffic and pick-up zones.