Private schools in Dubai will be off for a whole week for Eid Al Fitr 2022 from Monday 2nd of May, with children returning to school classes on Monday 9th May, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority has confirmed. The effective 9-day holiday, welcomed by many families, will, however, create challenges for many parents working in the private sector for companies who have, so far, only recognised a 3-day break, this in the face of the UAE Cabinet approval of Eid holidays running between Saturday, April 30 until Friday, May 6 with the weekend following on Saturday May 7 and Sunday May 8. The Public and governmental sectors, including banking, will have the full 9 consecutive days holiday.
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Eid Al Fitr Holiday dates are subject to confirmation because the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, meaning it is tied to the moon’s phases. The Islamic (or Hijri) calendar features 12 months, which run for 29 or 30 days, the start and end of which are determined by the appearance of the new crescent moon.
Ramadan is the eighth month of the Hijri calendar and this is when when the month-long period of prayer and fasting for Muslims happens each year. The first day of Shawwal – the ninth month of the Hijri calendar – heralds the beginning of Eid-Al-Fitr and the end of Ramadan. There is a moon-sighting committee dedicated to spotting the moon and the exact date of the holiday will depend on when this committee spots the crescent of the Shawwal moon. Once the crescent has been spotted the committee can then announce the start of the Eid Al Fitr celebrations.
One Dubai parent, whose employer has so far only confirmed a three-day break told SchoolsCompared.com:
“This is such an amazing opportunity for families – but my employer has still not confirmed whether they will allow us the full week holiday. At the moment it is just three days on offer.
If they don’t offer us the full week’s holiday, not only will we not be able to celebrate Eid for the full period, but we will face significant childcare costs whilst we are at work. There are already availability issues as many parents are facing exactly the same issue – we are all seeking childcare at the same time.”
We have approached UAE employers for comment.
This is a fast-moving story and will be updated.
Eid Mubarak.
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