Students at several Indian curriculum schools will enjoy a four-day weekend, with some receiving five days off for Diwali celebrations.
Certain schools in the UAE have chosen to close on Thursday and Friday to observe Deepavali, one of South Asia’s largest festivals, which is celebrated extensively by the Indian expat community in the UAE.
This closure creates a four-day holiday when combined with Saturday and Sunday. Additionally, some schools are granting an extra day off on Wednesday, resulting in a five-day holiday.
This year’s festivities begin on October 29 with Dhanteras, while the main Diwali celebration will take place on Thursday, October 31.
Sangita Chima, principal at Amity School Dubai, said: “Diwali this year is absolutely great, as we have celebrations after completing a very successful first term. Also, we have a long Diwali weekend of 5 days – from October 31 to November 4. Before we break for the festive occasion, our school community engages in art and craft creations that symbolise the spirit of Diwali, through hands-on activities that include designing a beautiful lamp with sourdough or paper plates, making rangoli patterns, and the use of finger puppets to tell the story behind the most favourite time of the year for Indian families.”
Notably, holidays in Dubai must be approved in advance by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) before being communicated to the school community.
It’s important to highlight that schools have a degree of flexibility with their calendars, as long as they fulfil the required minimum number of school days – which is 182 days for the international curriculum.
“This year we put three days for Diwali which was luckily approved by the education regulator,” she added.
Similarly, in a circular sent out to parents, GEMS Our Own Indian School said, “To embrace the festive season students are welcome to wear colourful and traditional Indian outfits on Wednesday, October 30, 2024.”
The notification added: “Students who prefer not to follow the theme are required to wear their regular school uniform.”
Low-key celebrations
Meanwhile, Diwali celebrations in certain schools will be low-key this year, with activities limited to class assemblies that are educational in nature. All students have been appraised to be conscious of the regional situation.
An Abu Dhabi-based school has toned down all major celebrations this year, making the festivities muted, given the conflict currently raging in the region.
Abhilasha Singh, principal at Shining Star International, said, “We have Diwali break on October 31 and November 1 so everyone is getting a long weekend. We have planned staff engagement after school on October 30 with a Rangoli competition followed by some Indian snacks like Khaman Dhokla, Gulab Jamun and Samosa being served later. This will take place at the end of the programme.”
The school leader reiterated that the situation in Gaza and its spillover into Lebanon has created a profound sense of unease for many, thereby keeping celebrations largely confined.
Singh added, “Our hearts are still heavy with the war in Gaza, which is now spreading to Lebanon, so celebrations are still low-key.”
