The Dubai Government has announced changes to the school schedules for students across the Emirate during the holy month of Ramadan. The government has said that all students studying in private schools will have the option of remote learning on Fridays for the entire month. The announcement comes in as Dubai readies itself for Ramadan, due to begin on March 1 pending the moon sighting.

Dubai schools to offer remote learning; What’s the story?

Following a directive by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, the Dubai government announced this initiative. Private schools across the Emirate are encouraged to adopt this option. However, students who are supposed to attend in-person examinations on Fridays would be exempt from this directive.

In line with the directives of Hamdan bin Mohammed, private school students in the emirate will have the option of remote learning on Fridays throughout Ramadan. Students with mandatory in-person examinations on Fridays are exempt from this arrangement. Additionally, schools are… pic.twitter.com/iWUJd047wv — Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) February 27, 2025

Additionally, schools are also encouraged to accommodate families for whom remote learning may not be a viable option. This announcement comes in at a time when Dubai has also introduced flexible working options as well as remote work for all public sector employees in the Emirate for the entirety of Ramadan. The employees in the private sector are also allowed shortened workdays by over two hours. The government has also encouraged private companies to make remote working options available to employees wherever appropriate.

Elsewhere, even Abu Dhabi has announced remote learning options for students on Fridays during Ramadan. Like the directives in Dubai, even Abu Dhabi has announced that students will transition to at-home learning with the exemption of students who are supposed to attend in-person examinations on Fridays. Families for whom a remote learning setting may not be feasible can opt for in-person classes as long as they can manage transportation to and from the schools.