For many students in the UAE, the end of the academic year signals the start of a long-awaited summer holiday. But for teachers, the weeks after classrooms fall silent often look very different.
While school holidays may appear to be extended breaks, educators and school leaders say much of this time is spent preparing for the year ahead.
This includes curriculum planning and professional development to reviewing student outcomes and getting campuses ready for reopening.
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Rebecca Gray, Director of Education at Taaleem, said teaching remains one of the most rewarding yet demanding professions, and the perception that teachers enjoy lengthy holidays does not reflect the reality of the job.
“While many people associate teaching with long school holidays, the reality is that teachers’ annual leave is significantly less than is often assumed,” she said.
“School holiday periods are not the same as teacher holidays, with much of the time before and after each break dedicated to planning, preparation and professional responsibilities.”
Behind the scenes work
During the summer break, teachers across UAE schools often work behind the scenes to ensure a smooth transition into the next term.
Gray explained that educators spend parts of the summer reviewing student performance, developing lessons and attending training programmes, while school leaders manage wider operational responsibilities.
“During the summer, many teachers are involved in curriculum planning, reviewing student outcomes, preparing new schemes of work, attending professional development programmes, onboarding new colleagues,” she said.
She added that school leaders also take on responsibilities such as recruitment, strategic planning, safeguarding reviews and ensuring campuses are ready before students return.
For CBSE schools in the UAE, the academic calendar typically includes a summer break of around six to eight weeks and a winter break of two to three weeks.
However, education leaders say these periods are built into the academic calendar and should not always be viewed as conventional leave.
Punit MK Vasu, CEO of the Indian High Group of Schools, said the long-standing image of teachers spending summers relaxing by the beach has created an unfair perception of the profession.
“That a teaching job comes with long weeks of iced lemonade in the beach during summer and shorter dashes to winter wonderlands have long been proven wrong,” he said.
“It’s a common misconception that teachers are on holiday whenever school is closed.”
‘The work enters one’s home’: The invisible responsibilities of educators
Vasu said teaching is among the professions where responsibilities often continue beyond official working hours, with educators spending personal time preparing lessons, assessing students and upgrading their skills.
“It is high time the spotlight shifts from the leave that teachers receive as holidays to the 44 weeks of relentless work that is expected of every educator in a typical academic year,” he said.
Highlighting the pressures faced by teachers, he added that education, like healthcare, is considered an essential service because of its impact on society.
“But even here, what really sets teaching apart from all others is that this is perhaps one of the few professions across the spectrum where one’s work enters one’s homes,” he said.
“With KHDA school inspections now a regular feature of the school calendar, the expectations and minimum standards for a teacher’s deliverables have climbed incredible heights.”
Vasu said teachers continue to face high levels of scrutiny, with evaluations, classroom expectations and academic standards requiring constant preparation.
“The scrutiny is constant, the pressure is relentless and the evaluation rigorous and this is something every teacher is very much aware of,” he said.
However, educators stress that holidays are not entirely consumed by work. Many teachers use the break to spend time with family, recharge and pursue personal interests, while some voluntarily continue professional learning.
“Most teachers voluntarily choose to stay academically engaged even during holidays,” Vasu said.
“Many spend 1-2 hours a day at home, sometimes even more working on student assessments, updating lesson plans, preparing worksheets, reviewing curriculum and planning their lessons.”
Schools focus on balance between rest and professional growth
Some UAE schools are also taking steps to ensure teachers have meaningful downtime while encouraging continuous learning through flexible programmes.
Noufal Ahmed, Founder and Managing Director of Woodlem Education, said teachers need time to rest and reconnect with their personal lives to return energised for the classroom.
“When people look at the teaching profession, they often perceive the summer break as an extended period of holiday. However, this time is far more significant—it serves as an essential opportunity for rest, reflection, personal well-being, and rejuvenation,” he said.
Ahmed said the school does not assign routine academic responsibilities during the summer break, allowing educators to focus on their wellbeing.
“We consciously refrain from engaging teachers in lesson planning, routine academic responsibilities, or school-related tasks during this period,” he said.
“At the same time, we encourage continuous professional growth through flexible, self-paced learning modules that educators can pursue at their own convenience.”
Ahmed said refreshed teachers ultimately create stronger learning environments for students.
“We firmly believe that when teachers return refreshed, empowered, and motivated, they bring renewed creativity, passion, and excellence into the classrooms.”
Source: Khaleej Times