For some families in the United Arab Emirates, October signifies a well-deserved five-day school holiday, while for others it is a time for exams, mastering new topics, and returning to the full pace of the academic year. This raises the question of why students in some international program schools receive an interim break, whereas many schools with Indian and Asian curricula, including CBSE schools, do not.
The main reason lies in how different curricula structure their academic years, the number of instructional days required by schools, and the calendars approved by educational authorities. Schools following the unified UAE academic calendar hold an interim break for the first semester from October 12 to 16, 2026, with students returning on October 19. However, schools using other curricula or operating under different regulatory agreements may have different schedules.
In schools with international programs, the October break is usually integrated into the rhythm of the academic year, providing students and teachers a pause after several weeks of continuous learning. Sarah O'Regan, Director and CEO of GEMS Wellington Academy in Silicon Oasis, reported that the school aligned its schedule with the directives of the UAE Ministry of Education. She noted: 'Our mid-semester break is from October 12–16. The UAE Ministry of Education asked schools to align their academic calendars, as some schools initially planned the break for October 12, and others for October 19. Therefore, we agreed on the start date of October 12.'
According to O'Regan, this break is important not only as a chance to rest but also because students face academic, social, and digital pressure, making recovery time critical. She emphasized that for modern children, rest is not just stepping away from studies, but a necessity to cope with cognitive demands, social complexity, performance pressure, and the constant stream of digital stimulation. She added that such a pause can contribute to learning rather than hinder it, as rest is part of the knowledge consolidation process.
Thomas Kinnersley, Director of Nord Anglia International School Abu Dhabi, views the October break similarly as an integral part of the academic cycle, not an interruption. He believes that a timely mid-semester break is a vital component of a successful academic year, not a break from it. In his words, education demands a lot from children who concentrate daily, solve problems, manage relationships, and respond to challenges. The benefits are felt by teachers too: teaching is an intellectually and emotionally demanding process, and staff well-being directly impacts the experience children receive at school. The break allows teachers to step away from the semester pace, spend time with family, and return with the energy and mental clarity needed for the best work with students.
The difference becomes apparent when considering the structure of the academic year. Approximately a quarter of students in private UAE schools study in schools with the Indian curriculum, including CBSE, ICSE, and Kerala state board schools. Their academic year has a completely different rhythm, running from April to March to align with the cycle of public examinations in India. In many CBSE schools, October coincides with the first-semester examination period or immediately follows it. Instead of taking a pause for a dedicated holiday break, schools continue studying the next part of the curriculum.
Abhilasha Singh, Director of Shining Star International School in Abu Dhabi, confirmed this situation at her CBSE school. She stated: 'CBSE schools do not have a mid-semester break. In October, we have our first-semester exams, and after that, we immediately move on to the program for the coming months.' She also pointed out that the required number of working days limits flexibility for an additional break. Singh noted that there is a difference between the UAE school calendar and the number of working days observed by schools in India, and that the 'content-heavy nature of the curriculum' further narrows the possibilities for introducing extra breaks. She added: 'We would certainly like to have a mid-semester break, but our program is very content-dense. We already lose almost 20–30 days compared to over 207 working days in the Indian academic calendar (referencing India). Thus, our next break will be during National Day holidays, with a few days of Diwali holidays falling in between.'
Schools with Pakistani and Bangladeshi curricula are similarly exempt from a unified calendar, as their academic years are synchronized with the respective educational boards. The key takeaway is that there is no single template for October holidays across all private schools in the UAE. International schools may incorporate a mid-semester break into the approved academic calendar, whereas CBSE and other Asian schools may organize October around exams and continued instruction, with longer breaks at other times of the academic year.
Nawfal Ahmed, Founder and Managing Director of Woodlem Education, reiterated that CBSE schools generally adhere to the working day requirements set by the relevant educational authority. He explained: 'CBSE schools generally do not have a mid-semester break in October, even if it marks the end of the semester. The number of working days is prescribed by the relevant government educational authority and can vary across emirates, and our school fully complies with these requirements.' For schools without an October break, wellness initiatives can be integrated into routine school life. Ahmed concluded: 'However, well-being is not just a semester-bound program; it is an intrinsic and valuable part of our school culture, which is consistently embedded in our approach to supporting teachers and students.'
