Govt schools to follow new timings from start of 2026/2027 academic year
Education Ministry sets new school hours for all education stages
The Ministry of Education has approved new school hours for the 2026/2027 academic year, covering kindergartens, general education schools, secondary schools operating under the course system and tracks, gifted schools, special education schools, religious education and special education Arabic schools.
The decision was issued by Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education Dr Khaled Al-Rashid and will take effect from the beginning of the new academic year and remain in force until further notice.
Under the approved schedule, kindergarten classes will run from 7:15am to 12:05pm. For the general education system, primary schools will operate from 7:15am to 1:25pm, while intermediate schools will operate from 7:30am to 1:40pm.
Secondary schools will operate from 7:45am to 1:55pm. Secondary schools following the course system and tracks will have longer hours, from 7:30am to 2:15pm. For gifted schools, the approved school day will run from 7:45am to 1:55pm.
The decision also sets out arrangements for special education schools. Their administrations will prepare attendance schedules based on each school’s educational plan. However, the start of attendance must not be later than the approved starting time for the corresponding stage in general education schools.
The Ministry has instructed all relevant authorities to comply with the new timings and organise attendance in a way that ensures the regular operation of schools and continuity of the educational process.
The new schedule is intended to provide a unified and clearly regulated framework for school hours while taking into account the requirements of different educational stages and ensuring a smooth start to the 2026/2027 academic year.
