“One Million Volunteer Hours” brings together students and parents in a Ramadan initiative for “Education”

The Ministry of Education, represented by the Department of Student and Parent Services in the School Operations Sector in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, revealed the details of the “One Million Volunteer Hours” initiative for parents and students, under the slogan “Family and School… A Sustainable Partnership,” within an organized national framework that enhances the culture of volunteer work in the school community and turns it into an institutional practice with a sustainable impact.
The Ministry stated through the comprehensive guide to activating the initiative in the educational field, a copy of which was reviewed by Emirates Today, that the initiative comes in conjunction with the “Year of the Family in the State,” and in line with the objectives of the National Volunteering Strategy, as it seeks to consolidate the concept of effective partnership between the family and the school, enhance the quality of life in the educational environment, and build a cohesive society based on the values ​​of social responsibility and national identity.
The guide is based on a vision of building a sustainable partnership between the family and the school, while its message emphasizes activating the efforts of parents and students within an organized institutional framework that achieves a tangible educational and societal impact.
The Ministry has set a number of main objectives, most notably activating the role of parents as a pivotal partner in supporting the educational process, and investing their professional and humanitarian expertise to serve students, in addition to promoting the culture of volunteerism and humanitarian work, and consolidating the values ​​of positive education and national belonging.
She explained that the initiative is being implemented in partnership with several societal bodies, including voluntary, humanitarian, charitable, educational and governmental institutions, to ensure integration of efforts and expansion of the scope of impact.
The guide classified volunteer work into main axes that include educational, national, behavioral, digital, environmental, health, and sports aspects, in addition to a supportive organizational axis, with examples of practical activities that vary between awareness-raising workshops, national initiatives, sustainability programs, reading support, and humanitarian work, reflecting the comprehensiveness of the initiative and the diversity of its fields.
Regarding the mechanism for calculating hours, the guide explained that the documentation of volunteer hours is done through approved platforms, including the parents’ platform and the “Emirates Volunteers” platform, with certificates of appreciation and incentive medals being awarded, which enhances the culture of appreciation and encourages continuity.
The guide also regulated the participation of students under 18 years of age by requiring the guardian’s approval, registering the student on the approved platform, and approving the hours after officially documenting them, while setting a daily ceiling for the calculation in accordance with the established controls.
The guide set a timetable for activating the first phase of the initiative, starting with programs for the month of Ramadan 2026, which includes various humanitarian and community initiatives, leading to subsequent monthly activities that enhance national identity, health, innovation, sustainability, and support of various societal groups, ensuring continuity of volunteer momentum throughout the academic year.
The Ministry confirmed in the guide that the initiative aims to achieve “one million volunteer hours” with the active participation of students and parents, through a clear governance system that defines roles, responsibilities, follow-up mechanisms, and measuring impact, which contributes to establishing a pioneering national model for family and school volunteering that supports the state’s directions in promoting sustainable community work.