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Regional education directorates in Riyadh, Qassim and multiple other Saudi areas announced four supplementary school holidays for the 1448 academic year that fall outside the Ministry of Education’s official calendar. The first extra holiday occurs on Sunday, October 25, 2026, which corresponds to 14 Jumada al-Awwal 1448 AH and creates a continuous break from Friday through Sunday. Directorates issued the schedule in late August through official channels to allow sufficient preparation time. Students return to classrooms on Monday, October 26, 2026.
The directorates’ announcements limit Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Taif to this single additional holiday on October 25 due to local religious and operational seasons. Other regions will observe the full set of extra dates that include November 29, 2026, January 7, 2027, and April 11, 2027. Each directorate tailors its list to local conditions while adhering to national academic guidelines.
According to the Ministry of Education the core academic calendar already incorporates six fixed holiday periods that total more than 50 days off. Those periods consist of two days for National Day, nine days for the autumn break, nine days for the mid-year recess, two days for Foundation Day, 16 days for Eid al-Fitr and 16 days for Eid al-Adha. The ministry released the baseline schedule well before the academic year began.
The General Directorate of Education in Riyadh detailed that the October 25 holiday aligns with the standard Sunday-to-Thursday school week to extend the regular weekend. Similar confirmations came from the Qassim directorate and several others that posted the full supplementary list on their verified platforms. Families have received repeated reminders through education accounts as the date approaches.
Ministry figures place the supplementary breaks as extensions that preserve the required number of instructional days across the full academic term. Directorates coordinated the selections to avoid overlap with major holidays already on the national calendar. Implementation remains uniform for public school students and staff in each jurisdiction.
The education directorates noted that private and international schools may follow independent schedules that do not automatically adopt these regional additions. Updates continue to appear on official ministry-affiliated websites for any late modifications. Parents should consult their specific school’s administration for exact local application.
