Third to twelfth students take the end-of-first semester exams on Thursday

Students in grades three to twelfth in all educational tracks (general, advanced, applied, and elite) in public and private schools that follow the Ministry’s curriculum take the exams at the end of the first semester for the current academic year 2025-2026 in the first central assessment station of the current year, which begins Thursday, November 20, and continues until December 4.

According to the details of the approved academic calendar, exams begin on November 20 and continue until the 28th of the same month. Then students take National Day leave on December 2 and 3, after which exams resume on the 4th. Same month. Winter vacation for students begins on December 8, while for teaching, technical and administrative staff it begins on December 15, and extends for everyone until January 4, 2026.

Eight routers

The Ministry of Education identified eight general directives that Emirates Today reviewed, focusing on organizing the controls for the end-of-semester exams and ensuring that the exam process proceeds with discipline and efficiency in all schools nationwide.

The Ministry explained that the tests will be conducted in person in schools, as they will be paper-based for grades three through five, while paper or electronic ones will be implemented for grades six through twelfth, depending on the nature of the subject and the nature of the track. Twelfth-grade students in private schools will also take their exams in government schools under the supervision of the School Operations Sector.

Perform tests

The directives confirmed that the English language test for the twelfth grade includes two electronic parts, writing and reading, and students from the sixth grade and above must bring their own laptops to take the electronic tests.

Regarding the use of calculators, the Ministry allowed it starting from the eighth grade in scientific subjects, specifying the type of calculator allowed according to the track. Scientific or graphic calculators are allowed in advanced and scientific tracks, and their use is prohibited in lower grades.

Periodic table

The Ministry directed school administrations in the general and advanced tracks to print and distribute the periodic table for chemistry during the exam, while elite track students use the electronic table via the Swift Assess platform.

The Ministry stressed that teachers are not allowed to read central exam questions to students, with the exception of third-grade students only, as the teacher can read the text of the question without any explanation or guidance for the answer, in a way that ensures equal opportunities and transparency.

Time scheduling for tests

Twelfth grade students begin exams on Thursday, November 20, with physics, followed by chemistry on Friday, the 21st, mathematics on Monday, the 24th of the same month, then English on Tuesday, the 25th, and Arabic on Wednesday, the 26th, followed by Islamic education on Thursday, the 27th, and biology on Friday, November 28. The exams conclude on Thursday, December 4, with social studies. These appointments include all educational tracks (general, advanced, elite, and applied).

These directives come within the framework of the Ministry of Education’s keenness to unify assessment and testing procedures, ensure fairness in application between the various tracks, and promote digital transformation in the education system, which contributes to raising students’ efficiency and their readiness for national and international assessments.