Ramadan Hours For Schools: The Facts So Far

The UAE is still finalising school opening hours for the Holy month of Ramadan.

This week the KHDA added another revision to their planned hours, this latest directive will see all children (including foundation) starting at 8.30am and finishing at 1.30pm. However, parents remain unhappy about the prospect of severe traffic congestion outside and around school areas.

Mother of two Jenny said, “Although it’s much easier to pick both of mine up at the same time, and I’m really looking forward to the extra ‘family-time,’ although I’m not relishing the thought of the school traffic, I wish they could stagger it at least a little to allow for the sheer volume of traffic.”

Another mum commented, “my problem is that the shortened nursery hours don’t fit with my work, I have to go away during Ramadan and my daughter’s nursery finishes at 1.30pm.”

In Abu Dhabi ADEC has made no such directive, and instead has left each school to finalise their own Ramadan hours. Speaking to parents in the capital who have received confirmation of their school hours, most say they are scheduled to start between 7.45 am and 9am and finish between 12pm and 1.30pm.

In Sharjah the municipality is yet to confirm the hours schools will operate, although schools say they expect the directive later this week.

Scientists at Sharjah Planetarium have announced that this Ramadan will be, due to its mid-summer dates, have the longest fasting hours in over 30 years, with an average daily fast of 15 hours and 15 minutes.