New school academic year begins on Sunday

Muscat: The new academic year for Omani schools begins on Sunday, coinciding with the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) launch of a new curriculum.

The official statistics for the academic year 2026/2027 the size of the educational system in the Sultanate of Oman, which continues to expand to meet the needs of students and enhance the quality of education, as the total number of students in public schools reached 876,117 students, including 435,218 students and 440,899 students.

The data showed that public schools include 1,298 schools distributed at various school levels, including 341 schools for grades (1-4), 335 schools for grades (5-8), 163 schools for grades 9-12, in addition to 459 continuing schools.
In addition, 509 schools will operate according to the operational formula (4.4.4), reflecting the Ministry's orientation towards developing school operating patterns and improving the use of educational resources.

In the evening education sector, the number of government evening schools reached 82, distributed among 52 schools for grades (1-4), 49 schools for grades (5-8), and 13 continuing schools, while they were distributed according to gender between 32 schools for boys, 24 schools for girls, and 58 schools for co-schools.

The statistics showed that the number of employees in public schools reached 68,546 male and female employees, of whom females constitute the largest percentage with a total of 47,325 female employees, compared to 21,221 male employees.

The number of administrators and technicians in public schools has reached 12,200 employees, including 7,368 females and 4,832 males, reflecting the pivotal role of administrative and technical cadres in supporting the educational process.

These statistics come within the indicators of the Ministry of Education to follow up on the reality of government education and measure the readiness of schools and educational staff by the beginning of the academic year 2026/2027

This updated educational framework is designed to promote core values, respect the principles of Islam, and strengthen Omani identity. Inspired by Oman's rich history and heritage, the curriculum aims to keep pace with future skills and the requirements of sustainable development.
To support the tourism sector during the khareef season, the Ministry of Education had previously delayed the start of the 2026/2027 academic year by one week, shifting the opening date to September 6 instead of August 30.
The newly introduced curriculum for the upcoming school year features an expanded lineup of subjects. These include the English Language Series for Grade 1, the Chinese Language series for Grade 12, as well as updated coursework in Social Studies, Musical Arts, Visual Arts, Information Technology, and Physical and Health Education.
To ensure a seamless transition back to the classroom, the Royal Oman Police (ROP) has launched its annual Student Safety awareness campaign. The initiative places a special emphasis on providing safety guidelines and training for school bus drivers to secure student commutes.

The police called on students to get on and off the bus in the designated place, while stressing to the bus driver not to use the phone while driving or getting busy on the road.

The Royal Oman Police also called on parents to familiarize their children with safety instructions and how to behave in emergency situations, stressing that a safe journey begins before the bus moves.