Dubai private school pupils will be off from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, returning on Monday, May 9. Victor Besa / The National
Dubai private school pupils will be off from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, returning on Monday, May 9. Victor Besa / The National
Dubai private school pupils will be off from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, returning on Monday, May 9. Victor Besa / The National
Dubai private school pupils will be off from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, returning on Monday, May 9. Victor Besa / The National

Dubai private schools to have full week off for Eid Al Fitr holidays


Anam Rizvi
  • English
  • Arabic

Private school pupils in Dubai will enjoy a full week off for Eid Al Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan.

Education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), announced the decision on Tuesday.

It means pupils will be off from Monday, May 2 to Friday, May 6, returning on Monday, May 9.

The move puts Dubai schools in line with most government and public sector workers, who have a nine-day holiday, including the weekends. Authorities in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are yet to confirm dates for private schools.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said private sector employees are entitled to Saturday, April 30 until Shawwal 3 in the Islamic calendar.

This means the holiday will be from Saturday, April 30, and last until Tuesday, May 3 or Wednesday, May 4, depending on the start date of Eid and the sighting of the new moon.

It is up to private sector employers to decide if they wish to be closed for the remainder of the week, on Thursday and Friday, which some are expected to.

Rashmi Nandkeolyar, principal at Delhi Private School Dubai, said: "We are very excited. This is like a breath of calm after the storm of the pandemic.

"The excitement is that we finally get to have a break and with a new term for all of us, there is a sense of excitement in the air.

"But many of our pupils have board exams on, so many of us will be working through part of the break."

Indian curriculum CBSE exams started on Tuesday and close to 600 pupils will be sitting them at the school. Ms Nandkeolyar said some pupils may travel home for the break, but others may choose to stay in the UAE and enjoy the Eid celebrations here.

Companies opt to extend Eid break

Xylem, a global water technology company, decided to give its just over 100 employees in the UAE the entire week off for Eid.

Jennifer Gillespie, its director of human resources for Middle East and Turkey, said: "We were just sitting in a leadership team meeting today and as we discussed it my children's school Whatsapp messages started pinging to inform me that Dubai’s private schools had announced the week off. It aligned nicely but it did not form part of our decision making."

“If a leave falls on a weekend, we carry it forward in to the week so that was carried to Thursday. We all tend to work from home on a Friday so we decided that we would just give the full week off.

“It’s the end of Ramadan and people are super-tired. We recognise that and we just want people to have a good break with their families. Many of the team have already booked holidays."

While the extra day off on Thursday is a token of appreciation from the organisation, the day off on Friday will be deducted from employee’s leave balance, she said.

Last minute Eid staycation deals: in pictures

  • 1. Enjoy a family-friendly stay at Park Hyatt Dubai this Eid. Photo: Park Hyatt
    1. Enjoy a family-friendly stay at Park Hyatt Dubai this Eid. Photo: Park Hyatt
  • 2. Rosewood Abu Dhabi offers city views in the UAE capital. Photo: Rosewood Hotels
    2. Rosewood Abu Dhabi offers city views in the UAE capital. Photo: Rosewood Hotels
  • 3. A family seafront villa at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort.
    3. A family seafront villa at Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Beach Resort.
  • 4. Take the family to Al Ain Rotana for a staycation and a trip to the zoo.
    4. Take the family to Al Ain Rotana for a staycation and a trip to the zoo.
  • 5. Nation Riviera Beach Club at The St Regis Abu Dhabi.
    5. Nation Riviera Beach Club at The St Regis Abu Dhabi.
  • 6. Private villas with plunge pools await at the InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa. Photo: IHG
    6. Private villas with plunge pools await at the InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa. Photo: IHG
  • 7. Escape to Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, for a 36-hour staycation. Photo: Taj Hotels
    7. Escape to Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, for a 36-hour staycation. Photo: Taj Hotels
  • 8. A beachside escape is on the cards at The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach. Photo: Ritz-Carlton
    8. A beachside escape is on the cards at The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach. Photo: Ritz-Carlton
  • 9. Studio One Hotel offers a budget stay for the entire family in Dubai. Studio One Hotel
    9. Studio One Hotel offers a budget stay for the entire family in Dubai. Studio One Hotel
  • 10. Spend Eid at W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island and get your room rate back in credit to spend at the hotel. Photo: W Hotels
    10. Spend Eid at W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island and get your room rate back in credit to spend at the hotel. Photo: W Hotels
  • 11. C Central Resort The Palm offers budget-friendly stays on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah. Photo: Central Hotels
    11. C Central Resort The Palm offers budget-friendly stays on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah. Photo: Central Hotels
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Isaac Sackler and Sophie Greenberg were Jewish immigrants who arrived in New York before the First World War. They had three sons. The first, Arthur, died before OxyContin was invented. The second, Mortimer, who died aged 93 in 2010, was a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. The third, Raymond, died aged 97 in 2017 and was also a former chief executive of Purdue Pharma. 

It was Arthur, a psychiatrist and pharmaceutical marketeer, who started the family business dynasty. He and his brothers bought a small company called Purdue Frederick; among their first products were laxatives and prescription earwax remover.

Arthur's branch of the family has not been involved in Purdue for many years and his daughter, Elizabeth, has spoken out against it, saying the company's role in America's drugs crisis is "morally abhorrent".

The lawsuits that were brought by the attorneys general of New York and Massachussetts named eight Sacklers. This includes Kathe, Mortimer, Richard, Jonathan and Ilene Sackler Lefcourt, who are all the children of either Mortimer or Raymond. Then there's Theresa Sackler, who is Mortimer senior's widow; Beverly, Raymond's widow; and David Sackler, Raymond's grandson.

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Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

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Results
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5 UAE 7 3 3 0 1 7 -0.004
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4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

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Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman

Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Transmission: nine-speed automatic

Power: 306hp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500

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Group A
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
Iran v Uzbekistan, 8pm
N Korea v UAE, 10.15pm
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Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no

Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)

Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22

Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets

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Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109

Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109

Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123

Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105

Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106

Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland

Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)

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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

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Updated: April 26, 2022, 11:11 AM