“I am very happy that King Abdullah has extended the holiday as it will give us all more time to rest and meet with our friends and relatives while enjoying the holiday,” said Hind Abdullah, a governmental primary schoolteacher who commutes from Jeddah to her school in Al-Jumum, a town near Makkah.

“This will be one of the last holidays we have to be with our friends and family aside from study breaks before next summer’s vacation,” said high school student Wedad Helmi. “I think it’s very kind of King Abdullah to give us an extension of our holiday and may Allah bless him and give him long life and help him recover soon,” she added, referring to the announcement on Friday that King Abdullah was suffering from a herniated disc.

“The holiday extension can also be utilized in a positive and convenient way in giving us time to relax and study at home with our families before returning to our classes,” said Rawan Shaheen Ahmed, a college student studying chemistry.