Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026 School Holidays: MOE Announces Extra Leave for Students

Hari Raya Aidilfitri is one of the biggest celebrations in Malaysia. Every year, many families travel back to their hometowns for balik kampung, prepare festive meals, and spend time with relatives during the celebration.

Because travel increases significantly during this period, school holidays often help families organise their plans earlier.

The Ministry of Education Malaysia has announced additional school holidays through the 2026 Academic Calendar to allow students, parents, and teachers more time to prepare for Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026 is expected to fall on 21 March 2026, which places the festive period close to the first school term break.

MOE Announces Additional School Holidays for Raya 2026

The Ministry of Education has officially scheduled extra holidays for schools in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026.

These additional leave days are included in the 2026 Academic Calendar and apply differently to Group A and Group B schools.

The extra holidays are designed to help:

Students prepare for Hari Raya
Teachers organise school schedules earlier
Families travel safely before heavy festive traffic begins

Group A School Holiday Schedule

Group A schools include Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu. The additional leave is on 19 March 2026 (Thursday).

The Term 1 school holiday then begins immediately after, on 20 March 2026 until 28 March 2026

This creates a total 9-day term holiday period, with the additional leave connected directly before the school break.

Because of this overlap, students and families in Group A states can begin festive travel earlier.

Group B School Holiday Schedule

Group B schools cover:

Johor
Melaka
Negeri Sembilan
Pahang
Perak
Perlis
Pulau Pinang
Sabah
Sarawak
Selangor
Kuala Lumpur
Labuan
Putrajaya

For Group B schools, the additional leave includes two days:

19 March 2026 (Thursday)
20 March 2026 (Friday)

The Term 1 holiday follows from 21 March 2026 until 29 March 2026

Similar to Group A, students can have a 9-day school holiday, but with two extra leave days placed before the term break begins.

Why the School Holidays Are Extended

The additional school holidays are arranged to support festive preparation across Malaysia. The main purposes are:

Giving students and teachers more time to prepare for Hari Raya
Allowing families to travel safely
Reducing congestion before the festive period

This approach is commonly used during major celebrations in Malaysia, including:

Chinese New Year
Deepavali
Christmas
Hari Raya Aidilfitri

The longer holiday period helps schools, transport systems, and families manage festive movement more smoothly.

What This Means for Parents and Families

For many households, a longer school break gives more room to organise family activities. Families can:

Plan balik kampung earlier
Arrange travel tickets more calmly
Spend more time preparing for Hari Raya
Avoid last-minute road congestion

Because the school holiday begins before peak festive travel days, parents often have more flexibility in choosing travel time.

What HR and Employers Should Be Aware Of

School holidays during Raya often influence employee leave patterns. Employees with school-going children may:

Apply for annual leave before Hari Raya
Extend leave after public holidays
Travel earlier to avoid traffic

This period usually requires early planning. Important areas to monitor include:

Higher leave requests
Team coverage planning
Shift adjustments
Business continuity during festive periods

Companies that plan leave early often manage Raya operations more smoothly, especially in customer-facing sectors such as logistics, retail, and services.

FAQs

When is Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026 expected in Malaysia?

Hari Raya Aidilfitri 2026 is expected to fall on 21 March 2026.

Which states are in Group A schools?

Group A includes Kedah, Kelantan, and Terengganu.

Which states are in Group B schools?

Group B includes Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya.

How long is the school holiday for Hari Raya 2026?

The term holiday period is 9 days, with additional leave days before the break depending on the school group.

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