Dubai schools will be allowed to shift their start and finish times, under conditions set by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), as part of a push to ease the heavy traffic that builds up around drop-off and pick-up hours.
Any school wanting to change its timetable must first get KHDA's approval, and must show that the new schedule protects student wellbeing and takes parents' views into account. Aisha Miran, KHDA's Director General, said a single uniform timing across all of Dubai's schools is not realistic, since curricula differ from one school to another and schools also run different extracurricular programmes and services — meaning each school has to work out what timing suits its own community.
Miran linked the move to Dubai's wider Education Masterplan, which encourages more active ways for children to get to school. "We would love to see our kids going to school walking, cycling or on a safe scooter," she said, rather than relying solely on private cars or school buses for every trip.
The policy shift comes against a backdrop of steadily rising student numbers and growing school-related traffic on Dubai's roads, and fits into the city's broader effort to manage congestion and improve air quality during the morning rush. Schools that want to revise their timings are expected to submit a request to KHDA along with their reasoning before any change takes effect.