Education Ministry clarifies framework for morning assembly in schools

Muscat: The Ministry of Education has clarified the regulatory framework governing morning assembly in schools, stressing that the framework does not abolish the school assembly, national anthem or educational practices.

The ministry explained that the framework provides for these national and educational components to be implemented in flexible and effective formats that take into account students’ needs and school circumstances, while preserving learning time.

The framework comes as part of efforts to develop the start of the school day, particularly the first lesson period, by preparing students for learning, strengthening national identity, values and positive discipline, encouraging student participation, and ensuring health and safety requirements while making effective use of available time.

The ministry said the framework includes three implementation models: classroom morning assembly, integrated morning assembly, and guided school assembly. These models maintain core national and educational components, including the national anthem, flag salute, Quran recitation, messages and educational segments, as well as student participation.

The framework will initially be implemented on a trial basis for one academic term in a sample of schools, with monitoring and evaluation based on specific indicators and feedback from the educational field to support continuous development and improvement.

The ministry affirmed that the framework aims to create a more flexible and effective start to the school day, balancing discipline with strengthening students’ national identity and values, while ensuring their wellbeing and the quality of their education.