UAE government employees received flexible working arrangements for the start of the 2026–2027 school year. Parents could take up to three hours for school drop-offs and collections, with wider flexibility during the first nursery week.

The details

UAE government employees were allowed flexible working arrangements to help parents manage the return to school in the 2026–2027 academic year.

The arrangement permitted parents to take up to three hours away from work for school drop-offs and collections on the first day of the academic year. Parents of nursery children received broader flexibility during the first week of the school year.

The policy also allowed staff to attend school graduations, meetings and special occasions, provided the arrangement did not disrupt work requirements. The measure was announced ahead of the return to classrooms on 31 August and was intended to support families during one of the busiest transition points in the academic calendar.

The flexibility applied to federal government employees. It should not be treated as an automatic entitlement for all private-sector employees, whose working arrangements remain subject to their employer’s policies and applicable employment rules.