UAE National Day Public Holiday 2023 officially confirmed – but will schools get Friday 1 December off or not?

The UAE government has officially confirmed the dates for the National Day public holiday in 2023 for the private sector, and for all the public holidays of 2024.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced on social media that Saturday and Sunday, December 2 and 3, will be a paid public holiday for private sector workers. This means that there will be no time off from the regular school week for the National Day holiday.

We announce that 2nd & 3rd December 2023 will be a paid public holiday for private sector workers in the UAE on the occasion of the 52nd UAE National Day.

We extend our sincere congratulations to our wise leadership, citizens and residents of the UAE on this occasion.#MoHRE… pic.twitter.com/rjpBFvZ6Rl

— وزارة الموارد البشرية والتوطين (@MOHRE_UAE) November 22, 2023

However, Commemoration Day – which is an annual event to remember those whose lives were lost in the line of service – is officially marked on 30 November. This has traditionally been celebrated as a public holiday on 1 December, which would mean a day off for schools on Friday 1 December this year. As a result, many schools have Friday 1 December marked as a holiday in their academic calendar – but will it be a day off after all?

All academic calendars have dates marked with an asterisk (*), which means they are subject to official confirmation from the UAE government. The UAE government’s official portal does not highlight Commemoration Day as a public holiday for 2023.  If your school’s calendar has 1 December marked with an asterisk, and if there is not an official announcement confirming the Commemoration Day before Friday next week, then it is likely it will be a regular school day.

 

Find your school’s individual academic calendar here.

Although there is a minimum number of days that schools must be in session each year (182 days) and there are some official guidelines regarding school holiday dates, every school has its own individual academic calendar, so some may have designated next Friday as a day off regardless of the public holiday announcement. If you are unsure, get in touch with your school directly for confirmation regarding whether Friday 1 December will be a day off for your child.

UAE public holidays 2024

The UAE government has also now officially confirmed all of the public holidays for 2024.

#UAE_Cabinet approves official holidays calendar for government and private sectors for year 2024 pic.twitter.com/HHtIQawNy8

— UAEGOV (@UAEmediaoffice) November 21, 2023

There are some surprises in store for next year, including a potential nine-day break over Eid Al Fitr.

Ramadan is predicted to begin on Monday March 11, 2024, which would mean Eid al Fitr will fall on Wednesday April 10, 2024.

The UAE public holiday for Eid Al Fitr is granted from the 29^th Day of the Islamic month of Ramadan (which coincides with Monday 8th April in the Gregorian calendar), until the 3^rd day of the Islamic month of Shawwal (which coincides with Friday 12^th April in the Gregorian calendar). This means the possibility of a full working week off for Eif AL Fitr in 2024. Taking into the account the two weekends either side, you could be looking at a whopping nine days off in a row.
Since schoolchildren will already be off on Spring Break, this could make for the perfect opportunity for a family holiday abroad, without you needing to tap into that annual leave allowance (although bear in mind that all Islamic holidays are subject to official moon sightings and government confirmation closer to the time).

UAE public holidays 2024

Find out more about the surprises in store for the 2024 academic calendar here.