The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) has issued Circular No. 12 of 2026, setting out the UAE’s Back to School Policy for federal government employees for the 2026–2027 academic year. Eligible parents can receive up to three hours of flexibility on a child’s first school day, while parents of nursery and kindergarten children can use up to three hours across the first week. The policy also covers certain school meetings, graduation ceremonies and children’s activities.
- Location: UAE
- Organisation: Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR)
- Circular: No. 12 of 2026, issued on August 26, 2026
- School year: 2026–2027
- Who is affected: Eligible employees of federal ministries and entities with children in schools, nurseries or kindergartens
- First school day: Up to three hours of flexibility
- Nursery and kindergarten: Up to three hours across the first week
- Student return date: August 31, 2026
- Approval: Direct manager approval and the federal entity’s internal rules apply
The UAE has introduced flexible work arrangements for federal government employees with children as schools reopen for the 2026–2027 academic year. Under FAHR Circular No. 12 of 2026, eligible parents can adjust their arrival or departure time by up to three hours on their child’s first school day. Parents of children enrolled in nurseries and kindergartens can receive up to three hours of flexibility across the first week. The arrangements are designed to help federal employees manage school-related responsibilities without affecting government services.
Who can use the UAE flexible work rules for parents?
The Back to School Policy applies to parents working for UAE federal ministries and federal entities.
It is not a blanket rule covering every employee in the UAE. Private-sector workers and employees of local government authorities should not assume they are automatically entitled to the same arrangement.
FAHR’s circular is specifically directed at federal entities, which are responsible for implementing the arrangements under their own applicable attendance regulations.
Direct manager approval is also required.
How many hours can federal employees get on the first school day?
Federal government employees with children in primary school and above can receive up to three hours of flexible working time on the first school day.
The flexibility can allow an employee to arrive later or leave earlier so they can accompany their child between home and school.
FAHR also says different school starting dates should be taken into account where schools follow different curricula or schedules.
The three-hour period is a flexibility allowance for attendance and departure. It does not mean employees can automatically take an additional three hours off without following their workplace procedures.
Each federal entity must apply the policy in line with its internal regulations and operational requirements.
What flexibility is available for nursery and kindergarten parents?
Parents working for federal government entities who have children enrolled in nurseries or kindergartens can receive flexible working arrangements throughout the first week of the new academic year.
Under the 2026 circular, the flexibility is limited to a total of three hours across the first week.
This is an important detail because previous versions of the Back to School Policy used a three-hour-per-day limit for nursery and kindergarten arrangements. The latest 2026 circular sets the current limit at three hours across the first week.
The arrangement can help parents adjust their working hours while accompanying younger children to and from nursery or kindergarten.
As with the first-school-day arrangement, the employee must follow the federal entity’s attendance rules and obtain approval from their direct manager.
Can federal employees take time off for parent meetings and school events?
Yes. FAHR’s 2026 policy also provides for flexibility linked to other school-related occasions.
Federal entities can establish internal arrangements allowing employees to receive:
- Up to three hours to attend parents’ meetings at their children’s schools.
- Up to three hours to attend graduation ceremonies.
- Up to three hours for their children’s special occasions and school activities.
These arrangements are not intended to disrupt government operations. FAHR states that federal entities should ensure continuity of work and compliance with the Federal Government Human Resources Law and its regulations.
The exact process therefore depends on the employee’s federal entity.
When did UAE schools reopen for the 2026–2027 academic year?
Students began the 2026–2027 academic year on August 31, 2026, according to the UAE Ministry of Education.
The Ministry’s calendar applies to public schools and private schools following the Ministry of Education curriculum. Schools following other curricula may have some flexibility around certain breaks, subject to approval from the relevant education authorities.
The Ministry has also published the academic calendar several years in advance to help schools and families plan.
For the 2026–2027 year, key dates include:
- August 31, 2026: Students start the academic year
- October 12–18, 2026: First-semester mid-term break
- December 14, 2026–January 3, 2027: Winter break
- April 5–11, 2027: Spring break
- July 2, 2027: End of the academic year
The Ministry also states that administrative and teaching staff began the academic year earlier, on August 24, 2026.
Does the UAE have other flexible work support for parents?
Yes. FAHR also issued Circular No. 3 of 2026, which supports families when competent authorities officially introduce distance learning.
Under that policy, federal entities may approve remote-working arrangements for caregivers of children from kindergarten through Grade 8, as well as children officially enrolled in nurseries.
The arrangement also covers either parent of children of determination who are officially registered at recognised care centres.
However, the employee’s position must qualify for remote work, the arrangement must not negatively affect workflow, and prior approval from the direct supervisor is required. The flexibility applies only during the officially adopted distance-learning period.
The UAE’s Back to School Policy gives eligible federal employees a clearer way to manage work and school responsibilities during the busiest part of the academic year.
For parents, the practical benefit is simple: they can be present when children need help getting to school, settling into nursery or kindergarten, attending parent meetings or taking part in important school events.
For federal entities, the policy provides a structured framework rather than an unrestricted absence from work. Manager approval, internal regulations and service continuity remain part of the process.
The most important point for UAE residents is that this is a federal government employment policy, not a universal UAE labour rule for all parents.
FAQs
Is the UAE flexible work policy for parents available to private-sector employees?
No. FAHR Circular No. 12 of 2026 applies to employees of federal ministries and federal entities. The circular does not automatically give private-sector employees the same entitlement.
How many hours can a federal employee use on the first school day?
Eligible federal employees can receive up to three hours of flexibility on the first school day to accompany their children to or from school.
How much flexibility do nursery and kindergarten parents receive?
Parents of nursery and kindergarten children can receive up to three hours in total across the first week of the academic year under the 2026 policy.
Do parents need approval from their manager?
Yes. Flexible attendance is subject to the applicable regulations of the federal entity and approval from the employee’s direct manager.
Can parents use the policy for school meetings?
Federal entities can allow employees up to three hours to attend parents’ meetings at their children’s schools, subject to internal procedures and operational requirements.
The UAE’s latest Back to School Policy gives federal government employees practical flexibility as children begin the 2026–2027 academic year. The arrangements cover the first school day, nursery and kindergarten settling-in period, parent meetings and selected school activities, while keeping manager approval and government service continuity in place.
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