New Friday timetables in schools in the Emirates from January 2026

Oracle
24 December 2025
8.21 pm

With effect from 9 January 2026, all public institutions in the United Arab Emirates will implement new timetable for Friday morning lessons, so that pupils and teaching staff can go home before Friday prayers, now officially set at 12.45 pm.

This measure aims to better balance school organisation and religious practice, whilst ensuring that mornings run smoothly in schools.

Timetables adjusted according to school year groups

The new scheme provides for separate timetables depending on the stage of education:

Nursery : from 8.00 am to 11.30 am
Cycle 1 (primary) :
- from 7.10 am to 10.30 am, or
- from 8.00 am to 11.30 am
Cycles 2 and 3 (lower secondary and upper secondary) :
- Boys : 7.10 am – 10.30 am
- Girls : 8.00 am – 11.30 am

These time slots help to ensure a full half-day course, whilst allowing enough time to get there before the prayer.

Private schools are also affected

Although the imposed timetables apply primarily to state schools, the establishments Private individuals are strongly encouraged to adopt a equivalent model, upon completing the course by 11.30 am on Friday at the latest.

This harmonisation is intended to facilitate the managing family timetables, particularly for households with children attending different types of school. The education authorities have allowed private schools some flexibility to adapt their arrangements in line with their educational requirements, whilst still meeting the set objective.

A measure in line with the social and religious calendar

This reform of Friday working hours is in line with the government’s recent changes, in particular the move to a working week of Monday to Friday, and the desire to to better integrate cultural and religious specificities into the rhythms of national life.

School management teams have received clear instructions from the Department for Education to make arrangements for transport and safety tailored to this new weekly schedule.

Conclusion

With these new school timetables for Fridays, the Emirates are continuing their efforts to strike a balance between modernisation of the education system and respect for religious traditions. This measure, which applies across the whole of the country, provides pupils with a more suitable environment, whilst making life easier for families. A practical reform that reflects the country’s ability to adapt its public policies to current cultural and social realities.