Academic New Year to Commence in January from 2026

The cabinet has given the green light to a proposal to shift the start of the academic new year to January 2026.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the President’s Office last night by the Principal Secretary to the President on Public Policy, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim.

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According to Nazim, students will experience their extended holidays in December 2025 due to this alteration. Reflecting on the change, he stated, “Students will get the long holidays in December of 2025. That had been the practice when we were in school. In addition to this, the academic new year in 2026 will commence in January, as we had been following before.”

Despite the shift, Nazim highlighted that school students will still enjoy a three-week holiday in July. The extended break in December will now span four weeks.

The decision to move the start of the academic year to mid-year was implemented by the previous administration, citing the peak tourism season in December as a factor. The change aimed to accommodate workers in the tourism sector who found it challenging to spend the holidays with their families during this period.

Former Education Minister Dr. Aishath Ali defended the decision, stating that it was based on research. However, the move faced criticism as the designated long holidays in June and July coincided with the monsoon season, hindering travel plans.

It is worth noting that the shift to commence the academic new year in January was a campaign promise by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu. The decision reflects the government’s commitment to fulfilling electoral pledges.