Parents’ Voices Heard: Maldives Academic Year Set for 2026 with December Holidays
The Maldives Education Ministry has released the tentative academic calendar for 2026, with the yearly holiday scheduled for December. The adjustment follows requests from parents who found the previous June/July break difficult for family travel due to the southwest monsoon.
When the academic year was moved to June/July in 2021, many parents expressed that the timing was inconvenient for family activities. During his presidential campaign, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu received widespread support for restoring the traditional school calendar, and this promise has now been fulfilled.
Key Dates for the 2026 School Year
According to the newly released schedule, the academic year will begin on 27th January. The mid-term break for the first term is set from 24th March to 30th March, while the first term break runs from 17th July to 1st August.
The second term starts on 2nd August, with a mid-term break from 13th September to 19th September. The yearly holiday will take place from 18th December to 12th January 2027.
Other important dates include:
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A Level Studies: Start on 7th June
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First Term Exams: 30th June to 9th July
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Key Stage Study Camps 1 and 2: 22nd August to 25th August
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Student School Transfer Period: 18th October to 17th November
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Professional Development Days: 1st March to 8th March and 12th November
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Second Term Exams: 1st December to 10th December
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Start of 2027 Academic Year: 13th January
Collaboration with Tourism and Union Representatives
Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu told that the new calendar was created with support from multiple stakeholders. Among those involved were Kendhoo MP, Secretary General of the Tourism Employees Association, and President of the Maldives Trade Union, Mauroof “Matey” Zakir.
“The tourism sector’s input was important because many employees travel during school holidays,” said Minister Shafeeu. “We also added two weeks of mid-year holidays to help tourism staff manage their schedules.”
With these adjustments, students will have a total of four weeks of holidays spread across three periods from May to September. The calendar also separates full teaching days from half days, including Children’s Day and Teacher’s Day, providing clarity for schools and families.
Returning to Tradition
The Maldives historically began its school year in January. Changes during the Covid-19 pandemic and requests from the tourism sector temporarily shifted the academic year to August and extended its length to one and a half years. The 2026 calendar restores the traditional January start and December yearly holiday while maintaining flexibility for tourism and public holidays.
Minister Shafeeu emphasized that the calendar changes aim to balance the needs of families, students, and working parents. “We considered public holidays, school events, and important dates to make sure everything is clear for the year ahead,” he said.