Hey Raha blog · School life

Ramadan school timings in Qatar 2027: dates, hours and Eid breaks

By Marie Adly · 22 October 2026

Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027 in Qatar, so it falls in the second semester. That date is UNCONFIRMED until the official moon sighting. The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) hasn't announced Ramadan 2027 school hours yet. In 2026 it set a 9am to 12.30pm day for government kindergartens and schools, and private schools set their own times.

Last updated: 22 October 2026

Ramadan changes the whole family's day: a later start, an earlier pick-up, different work hours and later evenings. Here's what's confirmed, what isn't, and how to keep the school run and your helper's routine on track.

Ramadan 2027 and the Qatar school calendar

Two things in the Ministry's 2025 to 2028 calendar matter for Ramadan:

• No extra Ramadan days off in 2026-27. The calendar adds two extra days off during Ramadan in 2025-26 and 2027-28, on top of the official state holiday, but not in 2026-27.
• No mid-term exams in Ramadan. The Ministry set second-semester mid-term exams for after the holy month.

The full year is in our Qatar school calendar 2026-27.

What the Ministry set for government schools in Ramadan 2026

None of this has been announced for 2027. It's last year's arrangement, which is the best guide to what schools will start from.

• Government kindergartens and schools (Grades 1 to 12): students from 9am to 12.30pm, a three-and-a-half-hour day, as announced by the Ministry on 17 February 2026 and reported by The Peninsula and Qatar Tribune.
• Staff: four hours, 9am to 1pm, according to The Peninsula.
• Ramadan 2026 began on 18 February in Qatar, after the Crescent Sighting Committee's announcement, so families had about a day's notice of the new hours.

Ramadan 2026 also brought a bigger change. As a precautionary measure, the Ministry moved private schools and kindergartens to distance learning from Sunday 1 March 2026, and government schools also studied remotely during this period. Full in-person attendance resumed on Sunday 29 March 2026. During the remote days, private schools could follow government hours or set their own, as long as the day started at 9am and did not exceed five hours. It's a reminder of how quickly a school week can change.

Private and international schools set their own Ramadan hours

Private schools publish their own Ramadan timetable, usually by email just before the month starts. One example: Oryx International School in Doha lists Ramadan and Eid student hours of 8.30am to 1.30pm, compared with lessons from 7.30am to 2pm on a normal day.

Expect differences between schools, and between year groups at the same school. Nursery and Reception can finish earlier than older years. If your children are at two schools, you may have two different pick-up times for the whole month.

For a comparison with the UAE, see how Dubai schools handle Ramadan.

Eid Al Fitr 2027: how long are the school breaks?

The Ministry's school calendar doesn't list Eid. Public schools close for the official state holiday, which the Amiri Diwan announces close to the date. Private schools have already published their own Eid breaks for 2027, and they differ:

Doha College also lists a half term from Tuesday 9 to Thursday 11 February 2027, including National Sports Day, in the first week of expected Ramadan. All of these depend on the moon sighting and can move.

New timings arrive by email. Raha reads them.

Ramadan timetables usually land a few days before the month starts, and change again around Eid. Hey Raha reads your school emails, read-only. When the new pick-up time or a moved Eid break arrives, she spots the change, updates your family plan and tells you on WhatsApp. Your nanny or helper gets her own version, without fees or private notes. Try Hey Raha free for 14 days.

Your nanny or helper's Ramadan routine

An earlier pick-up changes your helper's whole day: lunch at home instead of a lunchbox, a longer afternoon with the children, and maybe iftar preparation too.

• Update the weekly plan as soon as the school's Ramadan timetable arrives, day by day.
• Rethink lunch if the children are home by early afternoon.
• Check the workload adds up. Late iftars and early starts can squeeze rest time. Agree hours and the weekly day off clearly.
• Be considerate if your helper is fasting.
• Plan the Eid break together, including any days off for your helper, once the official dates are out.

Our guide to briefing your nanny or helper on the school week has a template you can adapt. If class chats get busy during Ramadan, see our tips on class WhatsApp groups.

A Ramadan 2027 planning timeline

• Now: pencil in Ramadan from about 8 February 2027 and Eid around 9 or 10 March. Both UNCONFIRMED. Check your school's Eid break in its published calendar.
• January: talk to your employer about Ramadan working hours, and to your helper about the change in routine.
• Early February: watch for the Ministry's announcement, then your school's timetable email.
• First week of Ramadan: expect a few changes. Update pick-ups, lunches and clubs.
• Early March: look for the Eid closure email and the official holiday announcement.
• After Eid: mid-term exams run 21 to 30 March, then the long weekend on 31 March and 1 April.

The rest of the year's dates are in our Qatar school calendar 2026-27.

Ramadan school timings Qatar FAQ

When does Ramadan 2027 start in Qatar?
It is expected to start on Monday 8 February 2027, based on astronomical calculations. The Crescent Sighting Committee at the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs confirms the official date.

What are school timings in Qatar during Ramadan?
The 2027 hours haven't been announced. In Ramadan 2026, the Ministry set 9am to 12.30pm for students in government kindergartens and schools. Private schools set their own Ramadan hours and email parents.

Do private schools in Qatar have shorter days in Ramadan?
Usually, yes, but each school sets its own times. For example, Oryx International School lists Ramadan student hours of 8.30am to 1.30pm. Check your school's Ramadan email.

Are there extra Ramadan holidays for Qatar schools in 2027?
No extra days are listed for 2026-27. The Ministry's calendar adds two extra Ramadan days off only in 2025-26 and 2027-28. Schools close for the official Eid Al Fitr holiday.

How long is the Eid Al Fitr school holiday in Qatar in 2027?
It depends on the school. Public schools follow the official state holiday, announced close to the date. Oryx International School and ISL Qatar list 7 to 11 March 2027, while Doha College and Compass International School Doha list 7 to 18 March 2027.

Sources

• Ministry of Education and Higher Education, academic calendar for 2025-26, 2026-27 and 2027-28 (PDF, 8 July 2025)
• Qatar News Agency, MOEHE approves new academic calendar for 2025-2028 (extra Ramadan days in 2025-26 and 2027-28 only)
• The Peninsula, 17 February 2026, Ministry announces working hours for government schools during Ramadan (news)
• Qatar Tribune, 17 February 2026, MoEHE announces reduced school hours for Ramadan (news)
• The Peninsula, 28 February 2026, schools and kindergartens to switch to distance learning (news, Circular No. 2 of 2026)
• The Peninsula, 23 March 2026, gradual return to in-person learning, full attendance from 29 March (news)
• Qatar Living, Ramadan 2027 expected dates and the 2026 start on 18 February (news)
• Amiri Diwan, National Sports Day holiday (second Tuesday of February)
• Oryx International School, school calendar and timings (Ramadan hours, Eid break)
• International School of London Qatar, 2026-27 calendar
• Doha College, term dates 2026-27
• Compass International School Doha, important dates 2026-27

Related: Qatar school calendar 2026-27 · how Dubai schools handle Ramadan · briefing your nanny or helper

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