DUBAI // School hours will be reduced across the country as Ramadan overlaps with the last days of the academic calendar.
This year the holy month is expected to begin on June 18, while the last day of term for most schools is July 2. Some private schools have been allowed to finish term earlier.
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai’s private school regulator, has directed all private schools to open from 8.30am to 1.30pm, so school will begin later and end earlier than the regular schedule.
The private school regulator also asked that break times be shortened. The new schedule applies to all grade levels and for all pupils, said Mohammed Darwish, the KHDA’s chief of regulations and permits commission. “It is important that fasting students are supported to continue with normal school life,” he said.
“To accommodate their needs, the school should ensure they do not engage in demanding physical activities and are not exposed to heat to reduce the risk of dehydration.”
He said that eating and drinking would be confined to designated areas of the schools “out of respect for the holy month and for fasting students, staff and parents”.
Teachers will keep the hours according to their contracts with the school and labour laws, which allow fasting Muslims to work six hours a day.
Abu Dhabi Education Council has not yet issued a notice to schools, but some private schools have already announced their Ramadan hours.
Repton Abu Dhabi will operate from 8am to 1pm, said headmaster Robert Relton.
At the American Community School, pupils’ hours are 8.30am to 2pm. Aldar Academies’ schools will open from 9am to 1.30pm. Peter Carpenter, Aldar Academies’ director of education, said the organisation would “ensure that all staff and pupils are fully aware of Ramadan and its importance”.
He said: “All of our schools have special assemblies at which Ramadan is explained. Also, family iftar events are held, which are supported by many of our parents and these help raise awareness across each school community.
“All staff are fully informed and all schools run training events that provide information about Ramadan.”
Clive Pierrepont, spokesman for Taaleem, which operates schools in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, said Ramadan presented an opportunity to promote cultural exchanges and understanding among pupils.
“All schools will talk about Ramadan and the meaning of Ramadan, that’s an integral part of the cultural lessons that we give,” Mr Pierrepont said. “We encourage our Muslim students to talk to their non-Muslim colleagues and fellow students about Ramadan and what it means to them.”
There have been some concerns about traffic in the area when the school finishes for the day, Mr Pierrepont said.
“There’s been some debate about the traffic at that time when all schools are starting and all schools are finishing at the same time,” he said. “We’ve just got to ask parents to be patient. It is a time when people should be a bit slower and exercise that extra bit of tolerance when they feel frustrated.”
rpennington@thenational.ae
