The Ministry of Education, along with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, on Wednesday, March 4, announced that the commencement of spring break for all academic institutions has been pushed forward to March 9, with the last working day to be March 6. Normal classes are scheduled to resume from March 30. 

The academic calendar placed the spring break dates originally from March 16 and ending on March 29 which has now moved from March 9 to March 22. The change comes in light of the ongoing regional conflict, with the safety of students and staff at schools and universities as the highest priority. 

Classes had transitioned to online learning at the beginning of this week as a precautionary measure for all students and staff, which was further extended up to the end of this week. Exams for students have also been shifted to a remote format, allowing them to complete their assessments safely from home. 

Students, parents, and staff are advised to stay updated via official channels only, as the measures aim to protect the safety of all in the education sector.

(By Shura Kola)

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has confirmed that distance learning will continue for all private educational institutions in Dubai until Friday, March 6, as a precautionary measure amid ongoing regional developments.

In a statement shared on X, the regulator said the safety and well-being of students, parents, teachers and school staff remain its top priority.

KHDA also urged the education community to rely only on official government sources for updates and avoid sharing unverified information.

Nationwide remote learning extended

The decision follows a nationwide announcement by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, confirming that remote learning will continue across the UAE until the same date.

The extension applies to:

• Public and private schools
• Universities and higher education institutions
• All students
• Academic and administrative staff

In a joint statement, the two ministries said teaching and learning will proceed remotely under established assessment frameworks.

Authorities added that the situation will continue to be closely monitored, with further measures introduced if necessary to ensure the safety of students and the wider education community.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has officially postponed more Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations across several Middle East countries, impacting thousands of Indian curriculum students.

The decision applies to exams scheduled on March 5 and March 6.

What students need to know

In its latest update issued on Tuesday, CBSE released Circular-2, extending its earlier announcement made on March 1.

Here’s what’s confirmed:

• Exams on Thursday, March 5
• Exams on Friday, March 6
• Applicable to both Class 10 and Class 12
• Applies to CBSE-affiliated schools in multiple Gulf countries

Countries affected by postponement

The postponement impacts CBSE schools across:

• UAE
• Bahrain
• Iran
• Kuwait
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia

Thousands of students across these countries are now awaiting revised exam dates.

CBSE to review situation on March 5

CBSE has clarified that:

• New exam dates will be announced later
• The Board will reassess the situation on March 5, 2026
• A decision regarding exams scheduled from March 7 onwards will follow after review

This means more updates could be coming soon.

How will students be marked?

CBSE has confirmed that marks will be awarded through a composite evaluation method, which includes:

• Internal assessments
• Pre-board examination performance
• Continuous evaluation records

This means students will not be required to reappear for the cancelled language papers.

“No student will be failed”

In a significant assurance to students and parents, the Board clarified that:

No student will be failed in the affected subjects.

The move is expected to ease anxiety among families who have been closely monitoring exam updates.

Advisory for students and parents

Students are advised to:

• Stay in close contact with their respective schools
• Follow only official CBSE announcements
• Avoid unverified updates circulating online

Schools will communicate further instructions as needed.

The postponement comes amid ongoing uncertainty in parts of the region, creating stress and confusion for families and students preparing for one of the most important academic phases of their school journey.

More updates are expected if further changes are made.