The first-semester holidays for this academic year (2019-2020) will start on Sunday, December 15, announced the Ministry of Education (MoE). Students in MoE curriculum schools, both public and private, will enjoy winter holidays till January 12.

The academic staff of these schools will start their winter leave on December 22 and report back to work on January 5.

Holidays for foreign curriculum schools

As for foreign curriculum schools in Dubai, including the British curriculum and the Indian Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the winter break will officially start on December 15, 2019. The reopening date, however, will vary from school to school and is subject to approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

According to the academic calendar issued by the Ministerial Development Council for Dubai Private Schools: "For foreign curriculum schools that have begun their academic year in September 2019, the schools will reopen on January 5."

However, other private schools (non-MoE) may choose to either reduce the winter break to two weeks with classes resuming on December 29, 2019 or, extend the winter break to four weeks with classes resuming on January 12, 2020, subject to KHDA approval.

Schools that began the academic year in April 2019 can choose to reopen in two (December 29), three (January 5, 2020), or four weeks (January 12, 2020).

"The decision is subject to the school fulfilling the stipulated number of instructional and academic days," said KHDA.

Holiday calendar based on student 'wellbeing'

Zubair Ahmad, head of HR and administration of Springdales School Dubai said the holiday calendar of the school is based on student wellbeing.

"For the winter holidays, our schools will close on December 19, and reopen on January 5. This year, the school followed the theme of wellbeing. We clubbed a lot of holidays with the weekends, so students and teachers enjoyed longer weekends," said Ahmad.

Daizy Paul, the principal of Ryan International School in Sharjah, said, "The first day of winter holidays for pupils will begin on December 15. Students will return on January 5, 2020."

Rashmi Nandkeolyar, the principal and director of DPS Dubai, said, "As per the school academic calendar, the last working day is December 15, and we are reopening on January 5 for students. The staff will return to school on January 2."

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