Qatar’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education has issued a circular laying out how public schools should operate during end-of-semester exam periods for the 2025–2026 school year. The guidance aims to reduce crowding, protect exam integrity and give teachers and administrators modest flexibility while ensuring marking and certificate procedures stay timely and accurate.
Kuwait ‘s new guidelines for staff and students
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE) has issued a new circular specifically regulating operations within public schools during the high-stakes end-of-semester examination periods for the 2025–2026 academic year. The core goal of these measures is twofold: to ensure a safe and supportive testing environment for students and to introduce greater flexibility for school staff (administrative and teaching personnel).This circular implements three crucial operational changes during the exam weeks for both the first and second semesters:
- Students are now permitted to leave school immediately after they have finished their respective exams. This policy aims to dramatically reduce crowding and ensure smoother movement within school buildings.
- School employees are granted permission to leave two hours before the official end of the workday. This measure is intended to ease the administrative burden and provide staff with increased flexibility during the intense grading period.
- Schools are mandated to complete the entire cycle, grading, mark recording, and certificate issuance, within the Ministry’s specified timelines while strictly adhering to the highest standards of quality and accuracy during the correction and review processes.
Important staff rules for Kuwait schools
While the Ministry has introduced early departure flexibility for staff, this new privilege comes with clear restrictions to maintain operational efficiency:
- Maximum Limit: The total combined daily authorized absences, including the two-hour early departure, must not exceed two hours while the circular is in effect.
- Non-Combinable Leave: Staff members are not permitted to combine this new early departure period with other existing reduced-schedule arrangements, such as authorized breastfeeding hours.
Kuwait’s academic calendar changesThese exam-day operational rules accompany the broader, recently approved 2025-2028 academic calendar, which includes several major, student-centric innovations:
| Key Calendar Innovation | Details and Rationale |
| “Test Day, Rest Day” System | This system is implemented exclusively for high school certificate students (final year exams) during the second semester. It ensures a dedicated rest day between each final examination to aid review, reduce stress, and improve mental preparedness. |
| First Semester Exam Shift | First-semester final exams will now be scheduled before Qatar National Day (December 18). This strategic shift aligns with the Ministry of Culture’s vision, ensuring students are free to actively participate in national celebrations. |
| Ramadan Provisions | Mid-second-semester exams are specifically scheduled not to coincide with the Holy Month of Ramadan, allowing students and families to focus entirely on worship and cultural activities. |
| Extra Ramadan Days Off | The calendar includes two additional days off for students and school staff during the Holy Month in the 2025-2026 and 2027-2028 academic years, beyond the official public holiday. |
| Mid-Term Extended Break | A long weekend break has been added immediately following the mid-second-semester exams each year. This is a measure to promote student well-being and encourage a healthy educational balance. |
| Harmonized Mid-Year Break | The mid-year break has been standardized and fixed for the last third of December across both public and private schools, simplifying family planning and national academic rhythms. |
The comprehensive updates reflect the Ministry’s commitment to supporting the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030, specifically by prioritizing human capital development through a flexible, unified, and supportive educational framework.To wrap up, the new MoEHE guidelines are all about making the exam season less stressful and more efficient. Students get to leave right after testing to reduce crowds, and school staff gain up to two hours of flexible working time. Crucially, the new calendar ensures major national events like National Day and Ramadan are respected, making the 2025-2026 school year structured around student and staff needs.
