Parents and students across Dubai are gearing up for significant updates to the school day in 2026.
Key changes have been introduced to the school calendar, admissions process, and curriculum that every parent should be aware of this year.
We’ve compiled all the updates in one place — your complete guide to preparing for the new school year.
5 New School Rules Every Parent Should Know
- School bus journeys must not exceed one hour.
Concerns over long school bus journeys were raised at the UAE Federal National Council in February 2026.
Parents across the country had reported that students were spending up to two hours commuting each day, leaving them fatigued upon arrival at school.
Following discussions at the FNC, Sarah Al Amiri confirmed that maximum school bus journey times are now capped at 45 minutes for early years pupils and 60 minutes for all other students.
Exceptions may apply in special circumstances beyond control, such as extreme weather, roadworks, or the geographic nature of certain areas across the United Arab Emirates.
2) Friday Classes Now End Earlier
Private school students will now finish classes before 11:30 am every Friday, starting January 9.
Fridays were already half days, with classes ending at noon, but this change shortens the school day even further.
The update aligns with a UAE-wide adjustment to Friday prayer times, ensuring that Muslim students and staff can reach home before congregational prayers begin. From January 2, Friday prayer times will be moved forward by 30 minutes, from 1:15 pm to 12:45 pm, and school schedules have been adjusted accordingly.
3) New Age Cut-Off Dates for School Admissions
The Ministry of Education UAE has updated age cut-off rules for school admissions ahead of the 2026/27 academic year.
From the next academic year, the official age cut-off for Kindergarten and Grade 1 admissions will move to December 31 for all schools starting their academic year in August or September. Previously, the cut-off date was August 31. The new requirements are:
- Pre-Kindergarten: three years old by December 31 of the admission year
- Kindergarten 1: four years old by December 31
- Kindergarten 2: five years old by December 31
- Grade 1: six years old by December 31 of the admission year
This change applies only to new admissions for 2026/27 and will not affect current students. Schools that begin their academic year in April will continue using the March 31 cut-off under the existing system.
4) School Calendar Announced for the Next Three Years
The Ministry of Education UAE has released the approved school calendar for both public and private schools for the 2026‑27, 2027‑28, and 2028‑29 academic years:
2026‑2027
- Start of academic year: August 31, 2026
- Mid-term break (first term): October 12‑18, 2026
- Winter break: December 13, 2026 – January 3, 2027
- Spring break: April 5‑11, 2027
- End of academic year: July 2, 2027
2027‑2028
- Start of academic year: August 30, 2027
- Mid-term break (first term): October 11‑17, 2027
- Winter break: December 13, 2027 – January 2, 2028
- Spring break: March 27 – April 2, 2028
- End of academic year: June 30, 2028
2028‑2029
- Start of academic year: August 26, 2028
- Mid-term break (first term): October 16‑22, 2028
- Winter break: December 11, 2028 – January 1, 2029
- Spring break: March 26 – April 1, 2029
- End of academic year: June 29, 2029
5) New National Curriculum Coming Soon
On Monday, December 29, the UAE Government issued a federal decree law establishing the governance framework for the National Educational Curriculum.
This marks the first time a comprehensive legislative structure has been put in place to regulate the design, approval, implementation, and review of the UAE’s curriculum.
The new regulations will define key aspects of education, including objectives, class duration and language, graduate attributes, national identity, societal values, targeted competencies, and general educational principles — in other words, lesson plans are expected to evolve in the near future.
Educational institutions will be responsible for implementing the curriculum, participating in pilot programmes, collecting feedback, and submitting observations to the Ministry of Education UAE.
Meanwhile, local education authorities will monitor curriculum implementation and oversee compliance among private schools within their jurisdictions.
