The Ministry of National Education issued supplementary clarifications concerning revised weekly study hours and subject coefficients for middle school, effective from the upcoming school year. The changes will begin on Monday, September 21, according to a ministerial dispatch dated September 19 and numbered 470. The Directorate General of Education sent instructions to state education directorates 48 hours before students return to school. This directive aims to prevent organizational errors that are difficult to rectify. The Ministry of National Education emphasized that these clarifications were released to provide clear guidance ahead of the new academic term.
New Subject Hour Allocations
Newly prepared tables precisely define the study hours and coefficients for each subject across the four middle school levels. For Arabic language, the tables allocate 5 hours of weekly teaching for the first and second years, reducing to 3 hours of weekly teaching for the third and fourth years. Arabic language will carry a coefficient of 5 in the fourth year, while maintaining a coefficient of 3 for the first, second, and third years. These allocations aim to optimize learning outcomes while managing the overall weekly workload for students.
French and English languages are assigned three and a half hours weekly for most years of middle school. These languages will have a coefficient of 1 for the first year. Their coefficient increases to 2 for the second and third years, and further to 3 for the fourth year, reflecting the progressive increase in their importance through the curriculum. Mathematics is allocated 4 hours of weekly teaching for the first and fourth years. For the second and third years, mathematics instruction is set at 3 hours and 30 minutes weekly. Mathematics will have a coefficient of 4 for the fourth year, showing its foundational role in the curriculum.
Curriculum Context and Activities
Natural Sciences, Physical Sciences, History, and Geography are allocated between 2 to 3 hours weekly. A new system mandates dividing students into two groups, or "fawj", for guided activities in Arabic, Mathematics, French, and English. Guided activity sessions are one hour long, held weekly or bi-weekly depending on the specific subject and level. These sessions are designed to provide more focused and interactive learning experiences. Practical activity sessions for Life and Earth Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology, and Informatics remain unchanged. These adjustments are in addition to dispatch number 469, dated September 17, 2026, which outlined broader educational reforms. The changes also implement the new English curricula for the first and second years of middle school. This implementation aligns with ministerial circulars, including reference number 207 dated September 9, 2025, for the new English curriculum for the first year. The new curricula also align with executive decree number 453 dated September 3, 2025, for the new English curriculum for the second year, ensuring a coherent and updated educational framework.
Implementation and Dissemination
Instructions regarding the updated study hours and subject coefficients were disseminated through middle school inspectors and both public and private middle school principals. These instructions urged complete adherence to the clarifications and supplementary directives concerning the revised study hours and coefficients. The Ministry of National Education specifically urged leaders of educational institutions to give the necessary attention to the dispatch. Ministry officials emphasized the importance of ensuring the wide dissemination of these revised guidelines across all relevant middle school establishments to facilitate a smooth transition into the new academic year.