Private schools in Dubai will reduce their operating hours during the month of Ramadan.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the emirate's education regulator, said in a circular that schools would cut their regular hours to five, from seven.
Schools are required to end classes by noon on Fridays to accommodate prayers.
Fasting pupils are also exempt from physical education classes, if they make the request, while the amount of homework and revision work should be reduced, the circular said.
Ramadan is set to start on Wednesday, March 22, or Thursday, March 23, with Eid Al Fitr expected to be on Friday, April 21. The dates will be determined by the moon-sighting committee.
It means that many schools will be open for fewer days during the holy month this year. Most private schools will be closed from March 27, with classes resuming on April 10.
Indian schools, which begin their academic year in April, will have more than two weeks off at the end of March.
Schools that follow the Ministry of Education's curriculum will have an extra week's holiday, with spring break from March 27 to April 17.
