Dubai Private Schools Shift October Half-Term Dates Following New Ministry Calendar

Families who have already booked flights or hotels around the upcoming mid-October school break are being urged to check their travel dates. Several private schools in Dubai have recently notified parents that the half-term break for this academic year has been moved forward by a week.

For the schools implementing this change, the October half-term break will now take place from Monday to Friday, October 12 to 16, creating an opportunity for a nine-day holiday that includes the surrounding weekends.

Many institutions had initially scheduled October 19 to 23 as their half-term dates before updating them. Dove Green Private School, Greenfield International School, Jumeirah Primary School, and Gems Wellington International School are among the educational facilities that have reached out to parents to confirm the schedule adjustment.

In a notification reviewed by The National, one Dubai school informed families: “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.” The institution also recognized that the sudden modification might create inconveniences for households.

The adjustment stems from a directive by the Ministry of Education, which announced a three-year academic framework in February running through 2029. This new schedule fixes the initial midterm break between October 12 and October 16. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai, which regulates private schools in the emirate, has adopted this ministry calendar, prompting schools to align their dates.

While schools following the Ministry of Education curriculum must adhere to the national schedule, private schools utilizing different frameworks can apply for approval to divide their midterm break between October and February, provided the total combined days do not exceed five school days. Meanwhile, institutions in Sharjah operate under their own local regulator, and schools teaching Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi curriculums generally follow separate academic years.

Because schools design their schedules based on distinct regulatory frameworks—such as the Ministry of Education, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, emirate-level bodies, or specific curriculums—holiday dates can vary significantly. Parents are advised to verify their specific school calendar rather than relying on a uniform UAE holiday assumption.

According to the Ministry of Education calendar, the first term officially began on Monday, August 31, spanning 13 weeks with 67 teaching days. A midweek break is scheduled for early December to observe Eid Al Etihad, also known as UAE National Day, which falls on December 2 and 3.

The winter break is set to run from Monday, December 14 to Sunday, January 3, 2027, with the final day of classes for most students occurring on Friday, December 11. Notably, this winter break has been shortened by a week compared to the 2025-26 academic year, shifting from a four-week period to a three-week duration for the next three years. Spring break is slated for Monday, April 5 to Friday, April 9, 2027, before the academic year concludes on July 2, 2027.