Al-Ahsa school hours during Ramadan: Each class is 35 minutes long and starts at 9 AM
The General Directorate of Education in Al-Ahsa Governorate announced the official school schedule for the holy month of Ramadan, covering all educational levels in the governorate. This decision reflects the commitment to organizing the educational process in a manner that aligns with the spirituality of the holy month. The school day for all public school students will begin at 9:00 AM, providing families and students with ample flexibility in scheduling their time.
School timetable details and class schedules
According to the issued circular, the school day in all public schools, kindergartens, and special education institutes for boys and girls has been reduced to five hours daily. This schedule will be implemented starting from the first day of Ramadan. The administration has set the start time for the first period at 9:15 AM to ensure smooth traffic flow and easy access for students to their schools.
In a move aimed at easing the physical and mental strain on fasting students, the Al-Ahsa Education Department has decided to reduce the duration of each class period to just 35 minutes. This measure is intended to ensure academic focus and to condense the material into a shorter timeframe, in line with students' learning capacity during fasting hours.
Organizing the Continuing Education Schedule
The decision also addressed the scheduling of continuing education schools. The administration directed that the school day for boys be moved to the evening, beginning promptly at 9:00 PM, allowing students to perform Taraweeh prayers before their classes. In contrast, a different schedule was set for girls' continuing education schools, with classes starting at 2:15 PM. The decision to shorten class periods (35 minutes) also applies to both genders of continuing education schools to standardize class times.
Context of the decision and its educational significance
This annual schedule aligns with the general directives of the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which grants education departments in regions and governorates the authority to determine the start time of the school day in coordination with relevant authorities, taking into account the geographical and climatic conditions of each area. This flexible schedule is essential to accommodate changes in sleep patterns and social life during Ramadan, thus contributing to maintaining learning outcomes without placing undue pressure on students or teaching staff.
This decision also reflects the interest of educational leaders in providing an attractive and suitable educational environment for academic achievement, as delaying the morning shift and reducing study hours helps to reduce cases of stress and fatigue that may accompany fasting, especially among young students, thus ensuring the continuation of the educational process efficiently and effectively throughout the days of the holy month.
