Ten extra schooling days have been added to the academic year 2014- 2015, the academic calendar approved by the Minister of Education yesterday showed.
August 31 will be the first day of classes for schools and universities under the Ministry of Education’s jurisdiction across the UAE for the academic year 2014-2015. The academic year is scheduled to end on June 25, 2015, the Ministry of Education announced.
The staff and faculty of schools and universities, on the other hand, will start work on August 24, 2014 and end the year on July 9, 2015.
The decision came in line with the directives of the Ministerial Council for Services, which was approved by the Minister of Education, Humaid Mohammad Al Qatami, in order to unify schools and universities for the next academic year.
As for holidays between semesters, the first break will start on December 21, 2014 and end on January 1, 2015, while the vacation after the second semester will begin on March 29, 2015 and end on April 9, 2015.
Marwan Al Sawaleh, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, said that the addition of 10 study days is in accordance with international rates and with international foreign curricula committed to a specific number of credit teaching hours.
He also added that the first semester break was reduced to become two weeks instead of three. The study days will become 74 days for the first semester, 60 days for the second and 55 days for the third.
The ministerial decision will implement the three semester system in public schools, private schools, adult education centres and polytechnic schools. The decision also pointed out that the undersecretary of the Ministry of Education will be in charge of making administrative decisions that organise examinations in public schools, private schools, home schooling and adult education centres.
Education zones and authorities will be given a margin of flexibility when it comes to the working time of administration and teaching staff in private schools that follow foreign curriculums at the beginning and the end of the academic year. However the margin of flexibility cannot exceed one week of what has been decided on this regard for the government schools.
Al Sawaleh said approving the school calendar came in accordance with the instructions of the Ministerial Council for Services. The council stressed the importance of unifying school vacations and working days between schools and universities to achieve family stability.
The decision was approved in the light of discussions and consultations among specialized committees, officials and experts of the education councils, who stressed the importance of the continuation of unified vacations.
Manal Al Khatib, a Palestinian mother of three children said she was glad that the calendar was announced because she will know how to plan her vacation.
"Planning for a vacation is always hectic, this will help me plan in ahead of time to ensure everything will go smoothly.
Mai Al Jameel a Jordanian mother on the other hand said she was not happy that the first semester break was reduced.
"Two weeks is not worth paying for tickets and travelling, I wish they kept is as three weeks."