Iconic Yellow Buses Are Back
After nearly two months of summer break, the iconic yellow school buses are back on the roads this morning, crisscrossing the UAE to transport thousands of students to their schools.
The familiar sight of these buses marking the start of the academic year is a welcome one, signaling the end of the summer break and the beginning of a new school term for over a million students across the country.
A New Chapter Begins
The gates of Second of December School in Al Twar Dubai swung open early this morning, marking the official start of a new term. The campus buzzed with the familiar energy of students returning, eager for the lessons, challenges, and memories the year would bring.
Among them was Omar AbdulKhader, a student who said his goodbyes to his mother before stepping into the world of books and dreams once more.
The day is looking like it will be filled with small moments like this — moments that spoke of fresh starts and the promise of growth.
Excitement Is in the Air!
The excitement was palpable this morning outside Al Sadiq Islamic English School in Al Qusais, where children eagerly waited for the school gates to open, marking the beginning of a new academic year. As the clock ticked closer to the start of the term, the school parking lot quickly filled up, with parents opting to drive their children to school on the first day.
Inside the school, the energy was equally high, with teachers arriving early, preparing for the day ahead. Some were seen carrying supplies into the school while others gathered in small groups, exchanging greetings and setting up classrooms.
Sharjah-Dubai Traffic Jams
As the clock struck 6am today, the roads leading from Sharjah to Dubai were already feeling the weight of the back-to-school rush. Major arteries, including the Al Ittihad Road and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road, were a sea of red lights, as parents and students hit the streets for the first day of school after the summer break.
By 5.45am, the first signs of congestion appeared, but it wasn’t until 6.30am that traffic slowed to a crawl on the busy routes connecting the two emirates. Commuters found themselves inching forward, caught in the back-to-school bottleneck that greeted them this morning.
In contrast, traffic within Dubai remained relatively smooth, with only minor slowdowns near school zones. Aside from a few hotspots around educational institutions, the roads inside the city were moving at a steady pace, offering a bit of relief for drivers navigating through the early-morning chaos.
New School Year Starts
UAE schools reopen today after a two-month summer break, kicking off the 2025–26 academic year with major changes. The new term comes with several significant changes, including the introduction of a unified school calendar, updates to the Arabic and Islamic studies curricula, and the launch of the country’s first AI syllabus.
It’s a busy morning on the roads and in classrooms, and Khaleej Times is on the ground, bringing you live updates as it unfolds. Our journalists are stationed at schools, with the Dubai Police, monitoring traffic, and covering volunteer efforts across the city.
From packed hallways to rush-hour bottlenecks, follow this live blog for on-the-ground visuals, key updates, and everything you need to know as students return.
