Sharjah Private Education: Schools Granted Flexibility to choose 4 Days Off Annually
The Sharjah Private Education Authority has recently sanctioned the school calendars for the academic years 2024–2025 and 2025–2026, encompassing all curricula.
Schools are directed to adhere to these calendars while also being granted autonomy to designate four days off during the academic year, as per the specific calendar chosen by each school administration.
In the 2024–2025 academic year, classes are set to commence on August 26, with the winter break starting on December 23 of the same year. After the winter break, students will reconvene for the second semester on January 6, 2025. Spring break is scheduled to commence on March 24, 2025, with students returning to commence the third semester on April 7, 2025. The academic year will conclude on July 3 of the following year.
Looking ahead to the 2025–2026 academic year, classes will commence on August 25, 2025, followed by the winter break starting on December 22 of the same year. Upon the conclusion of the winter break, students will resume for the second semester on January 5, 2026. Spring break is slated to commence on March 23, 2026, with students returning from the break on March 30. The academic year will conclude on July 2, 2026.
Under these calendars, schools have been afforded the flexibility to select four days off throughout the academic year. Each school's administration will determine these days based on their specific calendar. Additionally, schools are mandated to ensure that they meet the minimum teaching hours requirement of 1,120 hours for each academic year, as stipulated in the calendar.
Overall, the Sharjah Private Education Authority's directive aims to provide a structured framework for school operations across the academic years (2024-2025) and (2025-2026). By setting out clear start and end dates for each academic year, as well as delineating breaks and teaching periods, the authority seeks to streamline educational activities and ensure consistency in the educational process. Moreover, granting schools the flexibility to designate days off allows for tailored scheduling to meet the needs of individual school communities while upholding the requisite teaching hours mandated for each academic year.
