Several Indian-curriculum schools in the UAE have arranged multi-day breaks for Diwali this year, with the festival falling on Sunday, November 8, 2026. By combining official Diwali holidays with the weekend, some schools are giving students breaks of four to five days.
GEMS Our Own Indian School in Dubai has combined two official Diwali holidays with the weekend for a four-day break. "We have incorporated a two-day Diwali holiday into our academic calendar," said Lalitha Suresh, the school's principal and CEO.
The Indian High Group of Schools has gone further, adding three extra holiday days to the weekend for a five-day break running from November 7 to 11. Punit MK Vasu, the group's CEO, said Diwali is a meaningful occasion for families to reunite and reconnect with loved ones.
Not all schools are closing, however. Western-curriculum institutions such as Jumeira Baccalaureate School remain open for Diwali but are organising on-campus cultural celebrations, including arts, crafts, music and dance performances. Because UAE schools must meet mandatory instructional-day requirements of between 182 and 185 days depending on the emirate, holiday lengths vary from school to school, and parents are advised to confirm exact dates directly with their children's schools.