Education systems across the Gulf are entering a critical transition phase as countries adopt varying strategies to balance safety and academic continuity following Eid Al-Fitr.

While Qatar is preparing for a full return to in-person learning, Oman and Kuwait are maintaining distance education measures, highlighting a region-wide effort to adapt to evolving conditions.

Authorities across the GCC have emphasised flexibility, safety, and continuity, with decisions shaped by weather disruptions, technical readiness, and broader precautionary measures. Officials say the coming weeks will be key in determining how smoothly students can transition back to classrooms, or remain online.

Qatar prepares for full classroom return

Qatar has announced a phased return to in-person learning, marking one of the most decisive steps toward normalcy in the region.

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The Ministry of Education and Higher Education confirmed that the gradual resumption of in-person classes will begin on March 24, with full attendance in schools and kindergartens scheduled for Sunday, March 29.

According to a report, “Full in-person attendance for all students in schools and kindergartens will resume on Sunday, March 29, 2026.” The move signals confidence in the country’s preparedness to safely reopen educational institutions, the Peninsula reported.

In the lead-up to the full reopening, schools are operating under a hybrid structure. Students will continue distance learning from March 24 to March 26, while administrative and teaching staff return to campuses starting March 25 to prepare for students’ arrival.

During this temporary remote learning period, government schools are following a structured schedule. Classes for primary, preparatory, and secondary stages run from 9:00am to 12:35pm, featuring five 35-minute periods interspersed with breaks, including a breakfast break and a prayer break.

Kindergartens, meanwhile, are adopting asynchronous learning models, allowing for flexible, self-paced engagement.

Private schools have been given the flexibility to either follow government schedules or design their own timetables, provided they ensure full curriculum delivery. However, all institutions must begin their school day at 9:00am, with a maximum duration of five hours.

Higher education institutions and private training centers have already resumed in-person learning as of March 24, operating according to their approved schedules.

The Ministry underscored the importance of adhering to official updates and safety instructions, stating that cooperation from all stakeholders is essential “to ensure a safe and stable learning environment for all.”

Oman moves online amid weather disruptions

In contrast, Oman has temporarily shifted entirely to distance learning due to adverse weather conditions affecting several parts of the country.

The Ministry of Education announced that all public and private schools, universities, and colleges, except those in Dhofar and Al Wusta, will transition to online learning from March 24 to March 26.

The decision was taken as a precautionary measure in response to a low-pressure weather system impacting multiple regions. Authorities said the move aims to ensure student safety while maintaining continuity in education, the Times of Oman reported.

Officials noted that e-learning platforms have been fully activated to support the transition, minimizing disruption to academic schedules. The temporary closure reflects the country’s readiness to pivot quickly in response to environmental challenges.

Kuwait evaluates online learning continuation

Kuwait, meanwhile, is taking a more cautious and data-driven approach, with officials considering extending online learning beyond Eid if current conditions persist.

Minister of Education Sayed Jalal Al-Tabtabai chaired a high-level meeting to assess the effectiveness of distance education and review students’ performance during the ongoing period of virtual classes.

According to reports, officials examined “virtual class conduct, interaction levels, attendance, and challenges faced in the educational field,” alongside academic achievement and assessment methods, an Arab Times report conveyed.

The discussions also focused on future plans, including flexible curriculum schedules, enhanced technical support for teachers, and expanded psychological and social support programs for students.

Minister Al Tabtabai emphasised the importance of maintaining educational quality, instructing authorities to closely monitor engagement and performance. He also called for improvements to the technical infrastructure supporting online learning, including addressing challenges on the Teams platform.

“Clear schedules” for all school types, public, private, special, and religious, are being developed, with a strong emphasis on adaptability.

Administrative operations are also being adjusted, with departments instructed to function at no more than 30 per cent capacity in line with government guidelines.

The minister stressed the need for continuous evaluation and coordination, noting that safeguarding student well-being remains a top priority alongside academic progress.

UAE extends distance learning with flexible return options

The UAE has similarly opted for a cautious approach, extending distance learning across the country at the start of the third academic term.

The Education, Human Development, and Community Development Council announced a two-week continuation of remote learning for all students, teachers, and administrative staff in nurseries, schools, and higher education institutions.

Officials said the measure is designed to ensure continuity while prioritising safety. The situation will be reviewed weekly, with updates communicated through official channels, a WAM report said.

Higher education institutions have also been granted flexibility to determine how and when to resume in-person operations, provided they maintain academic standards.

Private institutions may apply to return to classroom learning based on their operational needs, with requests subject to approval from relevant authorities.

A region in transition

The differing approaches across the Gulf highlight a broader regional strategy defined by flexibility and responsiveness. While Qatar is moving decisively toward reopening classrooms, Oman’s weather-driven closures and Kuwait and the UAE’s cautious extensions of online learning underscore the varied challenges facing education systems.

Experts say the hybrid models and contingency plans being implemented reflect lessons learned from previous disruptions, with governments prioritising both safety and academic continuity.

As students, parents, and educators adjust to shifting schedules and expectations, the coming weeks are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the remainder of the academic year.

For now, one thing remains clear: whether in classrooms or online, education across the Gulf continues to evolve in response to an ever-changing landscape.

Sharjah officials have announced that public parking across the emirate will be temporarily free of charge in response to unstable weather conditions.

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In a post on the social media platform, X, Sharjah City Municipality said, “Due to unstable weather conditions, public parking across Sharjah is free until further notice. Please stay updated via official channels for when paid parking will resume.”

The exemption applies to all public parking spaces in Sharjah, including zones that are usually chargeable throughout the week and on public holidays, marked by blue signage.

However, smart parking yards are excluded from the exemption and will continue to operate under normal fees.

Authorities said the date for resuming paid parking will depend on how the weather situation evolves.

Remote working for public sector announced by Sharjah

Separately, Sharjah’s Department of Human Resources has authorised government entities in the emirate to implement remote working arrangements until Thursday, March 26, allowing heads of departments and institutions to activate work-from-home systems as needed to protect staff amid adverse conditions. Essential services that require on-site presence are excluded.

The moves come as the UAE continues to face unstable weather, marked by rainfall, wind, and shifting conditions, prompting safety advisories across the country.

Authorities have urged residents to monitor weather updates and follow guidance from official sources.

Dubai’s residential property market has remained stable in the weeks following the regional escalation that began in late February, with most landlords choosing not to sell and no signs of panic-driven listings, according to a new report by Smart Bricks.

Listing data showed the number of unique residential properties on major portals rose gradually from 105,300 on February 20 to 110,800 by March 16, an increase of just over 5 per cent, with no sharp spike immediately after the escalation on February 28, the report said.

In property markets, sudden increases in listings are typically seen as an early indicator of distressed selling. The absence of such a pattern suggests landlords are largely holding their positions despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty.

Read: How long can the Dubai real estate market hold?

A survey conducted by Smart Bricks of more than 600 Dubai-based landlords found that around 85 per cent are not currently considering selling their properties under present conditions.

About 10 per cent said they would reassess if conditions worsen, while only a small minority indicated a willingness to sell below pre-escalation expectations.

The findings point to a market absorbing external shocks rather than reacting abruptly, although activity varies across segments.

Residential transactions in Dubai

Between February 28 and March 16, the emirate recorded 6,048 residential transactions valued at Dhs20.2bn ($5.5bn), according to the report.

Around 63 per cent of transactions were in the off-plan segment, while activity in the ready market remained more selective, focused on rent-ready apartments and end-user purchases rather than speculative trades.

“What we are seeing is not a market in retreat, but one that is becoming more selective,” said Mohamed Mohamed, CEO at Smart Bricks. “Liquidity is still present, but it is flowing toward assets with stronger fundamentals.”

The report said geopolitical disruptions in the emirate’s property market tend to show first through slower transaction activity, longer selling timelines and shifts in tenant demand, rather than immediate price declines.

It outlined three potential scenarios for the market, rapid stabilisation, prolonged uncertainty and further escalation, noting that landlord outcomes would increasingly depend on asset-specific factors such as tenant profile, nearby supply, lease renewal timing and exposure to vacancy risk.

Smart Bricks said its platform tracks more than 1,000 data signals per property to help landlords assess liquidity, income stability and refinancing risk at a micro-market level.

The report provides a framework for landlords navigating uncertain conditions.

Earlier this year, Smart Bricks raised $5m in a pre-seed funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from investors across the US, Europe and the Middle East.

The company is also part of Cohort 9 of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Innovation Fund Accelerator Programme.

Sample study details: The findings are based on listing data tracked across major UAE property portals between February 20 and March 16, 2026, and a survey of more than 600 Dubai-based landlords conducted by Smart Bricks during the same period.

Amazon said on Monday its Amazon Web Services region in Bahrain has been “disrupted” amid the current conflict in the Middle East, marking the second time in a month that its operations have been affected by the war.

The disruption is due to drone activity in the area, an Amazon spokesperson said, following a Reuters inquiry. Reuters is first to report on the disruption. As of Monday night, AWS had not updated its status page to reflect the impact.

Amazon did not immediately respond to a query on whether its Bahrain facility was directly hit by a drone attack or if the disruption was due to nearby strikes.

The company said it is helping to migrate customers to alternate AWS regions while it recovers, though it did not provide additional details such as the extent of the damage or how long it anticipates the disruption to last.

“As this situation evolves and, as we have advised before, we request those with workloads in the affected regions continue to migrate to other locations,” Amazon said in a statement Monday night.

AWS is Amazon’s cloud computing unit and critical for the operation of many well-known websites and government operations. It is also the company’s main driver of profits.

The disruption is the second instance of drone activity affecting AWS’ Bahrain region since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Earlier this month AWS reported that facilities in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates had lost power and it was working to recover, including transferring computing workloads to other regions.

The strike on the UAE facility was the first time military action had disrupted a major US tech company’s data center, Reuters reported earlier in March. Amazon said it anticipated a “prolonged” recovery due to structural damage.

“These strikes ​have caused structural damage, disrupted power delivery to our infrastructure, and in some cases required fire suppression activities that resulted in additional water ​damage,” AWS said earlier this month on its status page.

Amazon said at the time that the Bahrain region was impacted by a drone strike in close proximity to one of its facilities.

A new global study by Kaspersky has highlighted key gaps in how organisations are addressing supply chain and trusted relationship cyber risks, with UAE respondents pointing to skills shortages and competing priorities as major challenges.

According to the findings, 40 per cent of respondents in the UAE cited a lack of qualified IT security professionals as a primary barrier, while 47 per cent said organisations are struggling to prioritise security tasks effectively to mitigate risks linked to third-party ecosystems.

The study shows that supply chain attacks have become a significant threat globally, with one in three organisations reporting an incident over the past year. Despite this, many companies continue to face structural and operational challenges in strengthening their defences.

A shortage of skilled cybersecurity talent is limiting organisations’ ability to monitor third-party vulnerabilities consistently, while overstretched security teams are often forced to focus on immediate threats rather than long-term resilience.

Beyond workforce constraints, the report highlights governance gaps. Around 37 per cent of respondents said contracts lack clear IT security obligations for contractors, while 38 per cent noted that non-IT staff often lack sufficient awareness of supply chain risks.

Globally, 78 per cent of organisations acknowledged the need to strengthen protection against supply chain and trusted relationship threats, with only 22 per cent considering their current measures effective.

The study also found that mitigation strategies remain fragmented. No single security measure is used by more than 40 per cent of organisations, with even widely adopted tools such as two-factor authentication implemented by only 40 per cent of respondents. Additionally, just 38 per cent conduct regular reviews of contractors’ cybersecurity posture, leaving many organisations with limited visibility into third-party risks.

Companies that have previously experienced supply chain or trusted relationship attacks tend to adopt stronger security practices. These organisations are more likely to request penetration testing results and assess compliance with industry standards and supplier security policies.

Sergey Soldatov, Head of Security Operations Center at Kaspersky, said: “When security teams are overstretched, understaffed and have to prioritize urgent tasks over long term resilience priorities, organizations are left exposed to threats that can move silently through their provider ecosystem. To break this cycle, the industry needs to adopt more unified and consistent mitigation strategies, from standardized contractor assessments to stronger cross team awareness. Supply chain security should become a shared, enforceable responsibility across the entire business network.”

Kaspersky said organisations can reduce supply chain risks by adopting a more structured approach to cybersecurity, including implementing managed security services, strengthening employee training, and embedding clear security requirements into supplier contracts.

The company also recommended closer collaboration with suppliers to ensure shared accountability for cybersecurity, alongside more rigorous due diligence when selecting partners, including reviewing past incidents, compliance standards and vulnerability assessments.

The study was based on a survey of 1,714 technical professionals across 16 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, India and Germany, covering organisations with more than 500 employees.

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