As students returned from the adjusted spring break on Monday, 23 March 2026, the UAE Ministry of Education confirmed that all public and private K-12 schools will continue with full distance-learning for at least two additional weeks. The measure, introduced during the recent missile-attack wave, had been due to lapse at the end of the holiday but was extended in a late-Sunday directive issued jointly with local education regulators such as ADEK and KHDA. The extension holds particular significance for globally mobile families and corporate assignees: schooling continuity is often a make-or-break factor for relocation decisions. Several international schools in Dubai’s free-zone clusters told parents that teachers not currently in the UAE could continue to instruct remotely, a flexibility rarely permitted under standard KHDA rules. Meanwhile, travel-clearance letters—required for guardians accompanying minor children on emergency exits—remain valid until normal classroom operations restart. Employers should note that FAHR’s remote-work policy allows one parent in federal employment to work from home while schools operate online. Private-sector firms are encouraged, though not compelled, to mirror the concession; mobility managers may need to adjust assignment allowances for household help or temporary study-spaces. Education consultancies reported a spike in enquiries from families investigating boarding-school options or dual-hub arrangements (for example, keeping spouses and children in the UK while the employee commutes on the new UAE multi-entry visa). Agents caution that obtaining study-permits and guardianship documents at short notice remains challenging, especially with flight schedules still fluid.
