Hey Raha blog · Dubai school life
Eid and National Day school holidays in the UAE, 2026 and 2027
The next school closure is National Day: the public holiday is Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026, and the Ministry of Education calendar and the private school calendars we checked close from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 December. In 2027, Eid Al Fitr is expected on 9 or 10 March, with schools on the Ministry calendar off from 8 to 12 March, and Eid Al Adha is expected in mid-May. Both Eid dates are UNCONFIRMED until the moon sighting. National Day 2027 falls on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December.
Last updated: 22 October 2026
The short version
| Holiday | Public holiday | School closure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Day 2026 | Wed 2 and Thu 3 December 2026 | Wed 2 to Fri 4 December 2026 (Ministry calendar and the GEMS, Taaleem and Aldar calendars we checked) | Public holiday confirmed. School closure on the published calendars. A government announcement for Friday 4 December: UNCONFIRMED |
| Eid Al Fitr 2027 | Expected to start Tue 9 or Wed 10 March 2027 | Mon 8 to Fri 12 March 2027 (Ministry calendar, and most private calendars we checked) | UNCONFIRMED, moon sighting |
| Arafah Day and Eid Al Adha 2027 | Arafah expected 15 or 16 May, Eid 16 or 17 May 2027 | Ministry calendar: Sat 15 to Tue 18 May. Several private schools: Mon 17 and Tue 18 May | UNCONFIRMED, moon sighting |
| Hijri New Year 2027 | Expected 5, 6 or 7 June 2027 | Ministry calendar: Sun 6 June (a weekend day) | UNCONFIRMED, moon sighting |
| National Day 2027 | Thu 2 and Fri 3 December 2027 | Not yet published for 2027-28 | Public holiday date fixed by law. School closure: UNCONFIRMED |
National Day 2026: the next school closure
National Day, or Eid Al Etihad, is a fixed public holiday on 2 and 3 December under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024. In 2026 that's a Wednesday and Thursday.
For schools, the Ministry of Education's 2026-27 calendar lists a National Day holiday from 2 to 4 December 2026. The calendars we checked at GEMS Jumeirah College, GEMS International School Dubai Hills, GEMS Dubai American Academy, Dubai British School (Taaleem) and Aldar Academies all show Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 December off. With the weekend, that's five days at home, Wednesday to Sunday, back on Monday 7 December.
- Commemoration Day, Monday 30 November 2026, is not a day off on the calendars we checked. GEMS Dubai American Academy marks it as a school day. It's a day of remembrance, usually marked with assemblies.
- Friday 4 December is on school calendars, not (yet) in a government holiday announcement. GEMS Dubai American Academy labels it a "Government Extra Day Off" with an asterisk. We haven't found an official announcement for working parents, so plan childcare for that Friday until your employer and school confirm.
What children wear and bring for the celebrations is in our Flag Day and National Day school guide.
Eid closures move. Raha tells you when they do.
Eid dates are announced by the moon-sighting committee, often only a day or two ahead, and the "school will reopen on..." email follows. Hey Raha reads your school emails, read-only. When the closure email lands, 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, no card needed.
Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha 2027 in UAE schools
Eid Al Fitr 2027 (UNCONFIRMED). Ramadan is expected to start on Monday 8 February 2027. The Astronomy Centre expects Eid Al Fitr on Tuesday 9 March if Ramadan lasts 29 days, or Wednesday 10 March if it lasts 30. The public holiday covers the first three days of Shawwal, and if Ramadan reaches 30 days, the 30th day is a holiday too. The Ministry of Education's calendar closes its schools from Monday 8 to Friday 12 March 2027, and the GEMS, Taaleem and Aldar calendars we checked show the same week. It falls in Term 2, so it's a term-time week off.
Eid Al Adha 2027 (UNCONFIRMED). Arafah Day is expected on 15 or 16 May and Eid Al Adha on 16 or 17 May 2027. School calendars differ:
- Ministry of Education calendar and Aldar Academies: Saturday 15 to Tuesday 18 May
- GEMS Jumeirah College, GEMS International School Dubai Hills and Dubai British School: Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May
- GEMS Dubai American Academy: Sunday 16 to Tuesday 18 May
On every calendar we checked, Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May are days off. If Eid lands a day later, closures may shift too.
Ramadan school hours are covered in Ramadan school timings in Dubai, or across the UAE in Ramadan school timings 2027. Every 2027 public holiday, including long weekends, is in UAE public holidays 2027.
National Day 2027
The public holiday falls on Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December 2027, which with the weekend gives a four-day break from Thursday to Sunday. Commemoration Day is Tuesday 30 November 2027. Schools haven't published their 2027-28 calendars yet, and the Ministry's three-year announcement doesn't list National Day closures for 2027-28, so whether schools add any extra days is UNCONFIRMED.
How the 2026 Eid holidays actually landed
These are confirmed, and they show how much a date can move.
- Ramadan 2026 began on Wednesday 18 February 2026 and lasted 30 days.
- Eid Al Fitr 2026. The moon wasn't sighted on 18 March, so Thursday 19 March was the last day of Ramadan and Friday 20 March was the first day of Eid. The private-sector holiday was announced in February as 19 to 21 March, with a note that it would extend to Sunday 22 March if Ramadan lasted 30 days, which it did. For schools, it fell inside the 2025-26 spring break of 16 to 29 March 2026.
- Eid Al Adha 2026. The crescent was sighted on 17 May, so Arafah Day was Tuesday 26 May and Eid Al Adha began on Wednesday 27 May. The private sector was off from 26 to 29 May, and federal government from 25 to 29 May. Ministry-curriculum schools had a mid-term break from 25 to 31 May 2026.
How to plan around a holiday that can move
- Pencil in a day either side of every expected Eid date, then firm it up when the school emails.
- Avoid non-refundable bookings on the exact expected days.
- Tell your helper early. Holidays change pick-ups, meals and often their own days off. Agree days off and pay for public holidays in advance. Our maid visa and helper salary guide covers what the law says. Use the nanny briefing template for the plan.
- Check your own school. Dates by group: GEMS, Taaleem, Aldar Academies. Whole-year Dubai dates: Dubai school holidays 2026-27, or the KHDA calendar, explained.
Eid and National Day school holidays FAQ
Are UAE schools closed for National Day 2026?
Yes. The public holiday is Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026. The Ministry of Education calendar, and the private school calendars we checked, close schools from Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 December 2026.
Is Commemoration Day a school holiday?
It isn't a public holiday, and none of the school calendars we checked list Monday 30 November 2026 as a day off. Schools usually mark it with an assembly.
When is the Eid Al Fitr 2027 school holiday?
The Ministry of Education calendar closes schools from Monday 8 to Friday 12 March 2027, and many private schools show the same week. Eid itself is expected on 9 or 10 March, depending on the moon sighting, so the dates are unconfirmed.
When is the Eid Al Adha 2027 school holiday?
Eid Al Adha is expected on 16 or 17 May 2027. The Ministry calendar closes schools from 15 to 18 May, and several private schools list Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 May. The dates are unconfirmed until the moon sighting.
When is National Day 2027 in the UAE?
The public holiday is Thursday 2 and Friday 3 December 2027. Schools haven't published their 2027-28 calendars yet, so any extra school days off are unconfirmed.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, Public holidays (list, National Day 2 and 3 December, Eid rules)
- UAE Legislation, Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024 concerning public holidays
- UAE Ministry of Education, Academic Calendar 2026-2027 (PDF; National Day 2 to 4 December 2026, Eid Al Fitr 8 to 12 March, Eid Al Adha 15 to 18 May, Hijri New Year 6 June 2027)
- UAE Ministry of Education, calendar for the next three years
- UAE Ministry of Education, school calendar 2025-2026 (spring break 16 to 29 March 2026, mid-term 25 to 31 May 2026)
- WAM, 18 March 2026, Presidential Court: Thursday completes Ramadan, Friday first day of Eid Al Fitr
- WAM, 23 February 2026, Eid Al Fitr holiday announced for private sector (19 to 21 March, extended to 22 March if Ramadan lasts 30 days)
- WAM, 17 May 2026, UAE Council for Fatwa confirms Dhul Hijjah crescent, Eid Al Adha on 27 May
- WAM, 18 May 2026, private sector Eid Al Adha holiday 26 to 29 May
- WAM, 12 May 2026, FAHR federal Eid Al Adha holiday 25 to 29 May
- Khaleej Times, likely dates for Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha 2027 (Astronomy Centre estimates)
- GEMS Jumeirah College, Summary of term dates 2026-2027 (PDF)
- GEMS International School Dubai Hills, Academic calendar
- GEMS Dubai American Academy, Academic calendar (Commemoration Day a school day; "Government Extra Day Off" on 4 December)
- Dubai British School (Taaleem), Approved Academic Calendar 2026-2027 (PDF)
- Aldar Academies, Term dates (maintenance page on 22 October 2026; dates as indexed)
A little help from Hey Raha
Holidays that depend on the moon are hard to plan around, and the email confirming them often arrives the evening before. Hey Raha reads your school emails, read-only, and sends you and your helper one clear WhatsApp plan, with a message the moment a closure changes. 14 days free, no card needed.
Start freeMarie, founder of Hey Raha
If schools ever move online, our UAE remote learning guide for parents explains what MOE, KHDA and ADEK asked of schools and parents during the spring 2026 period.
Related: UAE public holidays 2027 · The KHDA calendar, explained · Ramadan school timings 2027 · Flag Day and National Day school guide
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