The Ministry of Education in Yemen issued a new directive to the general directors of education offices and schools in the districts, to end the academic year for the first three grades in the first week of the month of Ramadan.

It was stated in a circular issued by the Undersecretary for the Curriculum and Educational Guidance Sector, that, based on your proposals, to end the 2023-2024 academic year for grades (1-3) who have been subjected from the beginning of the academic year to continuous evaluation.

The circular continued, “Educational necessity requires evaluating the level of implementation of academic curricula and the extent to which educational objectives are achieved, and the governorate that has not completed implementation of the academic curriculum continues to study in accordance with the school calendar issued by the Minister of Education.”

According to the circular, directors of education offices in the governorates directed schools to conduct student exams (1-3) in the first week of Ramadan.

The calendar issued by the Ministry of Education at the beginning of the year stipulated that actual study for the second semester would end in mid-May 2024, with exams starting on May 19.

According to the calendar, the month of Ramadan is supposed to be a holiday, from the date of Ramadan 1, corresponding to March 11, to Shawwal 7, corresponding to April 16, 2024 AD.

It is noteworthy that most public schools in Aden delayed the start of the academic year by several weeks as a result of the teachers’ strike, which prompts teachers every year to rush through the curriculum quickly, without regard to the extent of students’ understanding.

The directive stated:

The Curriculum and Guidance Sector at the Office of the Ministry of Education extends its best regards to you, wishing you success in your tasks and with regard to the above topic, and based on your proposals regarding the end of the 2023-2024 academic year for grades (1-3) who have been subjected from the beginning of the academic year to continuous evaluation...< /p>

In this context, educational necessity requires evaluating the level of implementation of academic curricula and the extent to which educational objectives are achieved.

The governorate that has not completed the implementation of its curriculum will continue studying according to the school calendar issued by the Minister of Education.

Therefore: There is no objection to ending the 2023-2024 academic year for primary grades 1-3 in accordance with what was mentioned above.