Ministry to discuss changes in school schedule for Ramadan
The decision follows requests from some parents who asked President Muizzu to review the school schedule during Ramadan.
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The Ministry of Education has announced plans to hold discussions with parents, principals, and teachers on the possibility of replacing conventional teaching during Ramadan with alternative activities such as project-based learning, literary programmes, and Islamic awareness initiatives.
The decision follows requests from some parents who asked President Mohamed Muizzu to review the school schedule during Ramadan. Schools were closed for the entire month this year due to the shift in the academic calendar to January.
In a podcast on Thursday, the President stated that he had asked the Education Minister to explore options for closing schools throughout Ramadan in the future without reducing teaching days.
Education Minister Dr Ismail Shafeeu, in a Facebook post on Friday, outlined potential changes to the school schedule:
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The last 10 days of Ramadan will be designated as official holidays.
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The government will remain open for 12 or 13 days during Ramadan, equivalent to six regular school days in other months.
Shafeeu noted that many parents raised concerns about school operations during Ramadan, citing:
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Difficulties in transporting students to school for a few hours.
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Irregular student and teacher attendance during Ramadan.
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An increase in teachers taking sabbatical or family responsibility leave.
The government is considering substituting regular teaching with:
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Project-based learning.
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Islamic awareness programmes.
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Activities and competitions focused on the Quran.
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Literary initiatives.
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Teacher professional development programmes.
Shafeeu stated that discussions on these proposals will take place at the beginning of the 2025 academic year.
Despite the changes, students in key stages 4 and 5 preparing for international examinations will continue their studies. Teachers will be required to report to work on Ramadan school days, with annual leave scheduled at the end of each academic year, starting from December 2025.
