The UAE’s announcement of a two-day public holiday for Eid Al Etihad on December 1 and 2 has sparked excitement among families. With many residents already exploring the idea of converting the long weekend into a lengthier winter escape, a familiar concern has resurfaced, with families enquiring if they can wrap up the school term a few days earlier.
The question has gained momentum because the UAE schools‘ academic calendar runs until Friday, December 5 — just for three days after the National day holiday ends.
School leaders across the country highlighted that they understand why students may be tempted to miss two days of school before they start their long winter break, but they’re urging parents to think carefully about attendance, assessments, and the impact of missing instructional time.
Their message is clear — the final days of the term still count, academically and administratively.
Dr Jinto Sabastian, Executive Principal at The Apple International School, said the school had made expectations clear from the start. He emphasized that parents had been fully briefed months in advance.
“The school shared the approved KHDA calendar, including all academic activities and assessment dates, with parents and students at the beginning of the academic year. It clearly states that the last working day for students before the winter break is 5 December. Since the calendar was provided well in advance to help families plan around the long weekend, we expect that most families would already be aware of these dates.”
He explained that assessments were intentionally designed with some flexibility, but not enough to justify early departures.
“Term-end assessments were scheduled with enough flexibility to accommodate any minor adjustments related to the National Day holidays. Because the assessment period runs up to the last official school day, students are expected to attend until 5 December, and early departures would be recorded as absences in line with school policy. Make-up opportunities may not be available for certain assessments or class activities.”
Sabastian added that students already have a full month of winter break and encouraged families to avoid disrupting learning unnecessarily.
“Families should also note that students are already receiving a full month of winter break, giving ample time for travel and family plans without needing to miss school days. In general, we encourage parents to follow the published calendar to ensure minimal disruption to learning and a smooth completion of the term,” he said.
Schools under Woodlem Education are taking a similar stance, though with some flexibility for special circumstances.
Founder and Managing Director Noufal Ahmed said that everything — from curriculum pacing to assessments — was planned in accordance with the national calendar.
“As the academic calendar was shared well in advance by the MOE, all schools across our network have planned their curriculum, assessments, and term-end activities in alignment with it to ensure continuity and quality of learning. While we understand that the Eid Al Etihad holidays may encourage families to consider extended travel, requests for early leave are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
“Our decisions are guided by the student’s overall attendance, academic progress, and the importance of the instructional days scheduled until the official term-end date,” Ahmed said.
As the UAE enters the Year of the Family 2026–2027, he acknowledged the importance of family connections — but urged parents to remain mindful of the impact of missed school days.
“We also recognise that the winter break is a valuable time for family reunions and meaningful bonding — especially as we step into the Year of the Family 2026–2027, which highlights the importance of strong family connections. We remind parents that missing the final days of the term may affect attendance records and participation in planned academic tasks and learning activities. Holiday homework is designed to support revision; however, it cannot replace in-class instruction.”
He added that the network of schools continues to promote a culture of responsible planning.
“We continue to encourage families to plan travel responsibly and in accordance with the published school calendar—something we have consistently nurtured as a culture across our schools.”
At Credence High School, CEO-Principal Deepika Thapar Singh echoed the same message, acknowledging why families may consider early departures while reminding them of the bigger picture.
“We understand that with the UAE National Day break creating a long weekend, many expatriate families may consider taking an early winter break due to travel logistics or extended family commitments; however, we encourage parents to avoid early leave, as these days still contribute to a child’s overall attendance record.”
Singh also pointed out that there should be no surprises; the school year is mapped out well in advance.
“The entire school calendar including all activities, field trips, events, and assessments is shared with parents at the beginning of the academic year in April, enabling families to plan their holidays well in advance.”
Her advice to parents was clear: stick to the official dates so children end the term on a positive note.
“While we empathize with the challenges some families may face, our strong recommendation remains that travel be aligned with official school dates so that children do not miss out on valuable time in school and can conclude the term smoothly and confidently,” she added.
© Khaleej Times
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