Sharjah 24: With the help of 31,198 families of students from 70 different nationalities, 7,000 teachers and administrators, and 127 schools, the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) recently completed an extensive study to assess the productivity and quality of life effects of the government of the Emirate of Sharjah's decision to reduce the official working week to four days and declare a three-day weekend.

According to Dr. Muhadithah Al Hashemi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Private Education Authority, the study demonstrated appreciable increases in indicators of academic achievement, productivity, and mental wellness.

According to Ali Al Hosani, Director of SPEA, research reveals a 77% increase in academic achievement among students and a 78% increase in social skills and interactions among students, showing that the change in school hours is consistent with the global standard. The study also revealed a 74% increase in students' capacity for problem-solving, a 73% increase in their capacity for time management, a 78% increase in students' academic achievement on given assignments, and an 88% increase in students' capacity for spending quality time with their families.

The Sharjah Executive Council conducted research on the process of implementing the four-day workweek throughout the emirate and found that the new work system had a significant beneficial impact on a number of indicators and factors related to the work environment and employee productivity.