Some Indian-curriculum schools in the UAE are planning an extended break for Diwali on November 8.
For Indian families in the UAE, Diwali could bring more than the usual festive celebrations this year, with some schools planning a four-day break that gives students extra time to spend with family and friends.
Diwali, the Festival of Lights, falls on Sunday, November 8, this year. Some Indian-curriculum schools are aligning their holiday schedules with the weekend, allowing students to enjoy an extended break.
At GEMS Our Own Indian School in Dubai, the holiday adjoining the weekend will give families an opportunity to celebrate together, according to principal and chief executive Lalitha Suresh.
“Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a cherished celebration that brings families and communities together in a spirit of joy, hope, and togetherness,” she said.
The school has planned its academic calendar to accommodate the festival while ensuring that the required instructional days are maintained.
“This year, with the holiday adjoining the weekend, our families can enjoy a welcome four-day break—a wonderful opportunity to pause, reconnect, and create lasting memories with loved ones.”
Diwali break: How schools are planning holidays
In Abu Dhabi, Shining Star International School is also planning a four-day break, incorporating the Diwali holidays into its calendar while adhering to the emirate’s teaching-day requirements.
Principal Abhilasha Singh said schools must meet the prescribed number of instructional days while accommodating important cultural celebrations.
“ADEK allows a maximum of 196 teaching days, with a minimum requirement of 191. We meet this requirement and are permitted to allocate two days for Diwali and one for another autumn festival. We have also used one day for a parent-teacher meeting,” she said.
Singh added that the school follows the necessary approval process before announcing holidays to families.
“We apply for these exceptions through ADEK’s activity calendar. Once approval is granted, we announce the holidays in our school calendar.”
For parents, the extended break offers an opportunity to organise family gatherings, prepare traditional festive meals and involve children in Diwali celebrations without the immediate pressure of returning to school.
Why some schools cannot offer extra Diwali holidays
However, not all Indian-curriculum schools in the UAE will provide additional days off for Diwali.
At Sharjah Indian School, the academic calendar is structured around the emirate’s school-week arrangements, with festival holidays accommodated within the available teaching days.
“We don’t have separate holidays for Diwali in Sharjah because schools now have three days off each week, leaving us with four working days,” a school representative said.
He explained that schools previously had additional days available to accommodate festivals such as Onam and Diwali. Under the current arrangement, however, these occasions must be planned within the existing academic calendar.
“Earlier, we had a buffer of four days off in a year that we could use for holidays such as Onam or Diwali. But now, with four working days in a week and CBSE’s extensive curriculum, we are no longer in a position to take additional days off. This arrangement was discussed with school principals at the outset, and we all agreed to it.”
