Dubai schools can adjust start times with KHDA approval
Dubai schools can change their start and finish times to ease traffic congestion, but must first obtain approval from the education regulator.
The analysis — automated & source-checked
- Applies to
- Education · UAE
- What to do
- Schools wishing to change start or finish times must obtain approval from KHDA and demonstrate that changes support student well-being and have parental support.
Dubai schools are now permitted to change their start and finish times to help ease traffic congestion, provided they obtain approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA). Schools must demonstrate that any changes support pupil well-being and have parental backing. KHDA Director General Aisha Miran said schools could seek flexibility and did not need to follow a single timetable imposed across the emirate. Some Dubai schools have already introduced staggered start times to spread traffic around the school run. The authority said adjustments to school hours could help with daily journeys, though longer-term improvements would depend on how communities are planned and where schools are located. The Dubai Education Masterplan (E33) aims to bring schools closer to where children live, making it easier for them to walk, bike or ride to class.
Source
Reported by: The National 1 Oct 2026 Read the original ↗ More from The National →
Quick answers
What do I need to do?
Schools wishing to change start or finish times must obtain approval from KHDA and demonstrate that changes support student well-being and have parental support.
Who reported this?
The National (UAE).
When was it announced?
1 Oct 2026.
Where can I read the original?
Read the original at The National: https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/10/01/dubai-schools-allowed-to-change-start-and-finish-times-to-ease-traffic-congestion/
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