Dubai announces early school finishes on Fridays from January 2026

Dubai schools will close early on Fridays, starting in January 2026, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

The early finish time for private schools in the emirate comes after the UAE announced earlier Friday prayer timings at mosques in the country from 2026 onwards.

To accommodate the changes, the KHDA reported  that schools will finish no later than 11.30am on Fridays.

New school timings in Dubai

A press statement from the KHDA said: “In line with the adjustment of the Friday prayer time across the country to 12.45pm, and following consultations with educational institutions, effective Friday, January 9, 2026, all private schools and early childhood centres operating within private schools in Dubai will finish the school day no later than 11.30am on Fridays.”

Education authorities and providers are consulting with parents over the possibility of providing remote learning lessons for secondary school students on Fridays.

The KHDA said: “For students in Grade 6 (Year 7) and above, schools may seek approval to offer online learning on Fridays, subject to parental consultation and KHDA approval”.

Teaching timings and school start and finish times from Monday to Thursday will not be impacted.

The UAE announced new timings for Friday prayers and sermons at mosques across the country earlier this month.

The announcement was made by General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat, which revealed an updated start time of 12.45pm.

The new schedule will start from Friday, January 2.

UAE Friday prayer times

Typically, Friday sermons across the country start at 1.15pm, and the new schedule is set to standardise prayer timings.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat advised worshippers to arrive at mosques promptly to ensure smooth and timely start times.

Dubai’s private education sector is expanding and set for another year of strong growth, with 16 early childhood centres (ECCs), six new schools, and three international universities opening for the 2025–26 academic year.