Distance education will continue in some UAE schools until Monday as tropical cyclone Shaheen is expected to affect weather conditions in the country, UAE authorities confirmed late Saturday.

The Dubai Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said all educational institutions would operate as usual, except for public schools in Hatta, where distance learning will run on Sunday and Monday.

The Dubai Media Office tweeted, “Various government and private entities will operate as normal tomorrow, Sunday, October 3, with the committee’s continuous follow-up on developments related to tropical storm Shaheen and taking appropriate measures as follows.”

Furthermore, Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) has announced that private schools and nurseries located in the eastern part of the emirate, which include cities of Khor Fakkan, Kalba and Deba Al-Hisn, will shift to online education on Sunday and Monday.

“SPEA will continue to monitor the situation closely with competent authorities and take necessary actions in this regard,” it said in a statement.

For the first time since schools closed in March 2020, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, almost all students in Dubai private schools are set to return for classes on campus starting Sunday, October 3.

Last week, the Emirate’s private education regulator, Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), said 75 per cent of Dubai pupils have returned to school since the start of the latest academic year in September, up from 50 per cent the previous academic year.

The KHDA said only a few categories of students are exempt from on-campus learning.

If pupils have a high-risk or chronic medical condition provided they have a medical report from the Dubai Health Authority; secondly, if they live in a household with someone who has a high-risk medical condition and cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. Third- if they are outside of the UAE and cannot return due to international Covid-19 restrictions.

Various heads of schools in Dubai told Khaleej Times that they are all set to receive students back on campus. To quell parents’ concerns about the return to in-person learning, schools have been conducting regular workshops to address safety concerns and instil confidence.

Karim Murcia, principal and CEO of GEMS Al Barsha National School, said the regular workshops ensured that schools were addressing parents’ concerns. “There is also frequent communication between teachers and parents to ensure there is support at home for the learning and revision techniques developed in school,” he said.

Dhanusha Gokulan

Originally from India, Dhanusha Gokulan has been working as a journalist for over ten years. For Khaleej Times, she covers NRI affairs, civil aviation, and immigration issues among other things. She completed her BA in Journalism, Economics and English Literature from Mangalore University in 2008 and is currently pursuing her MA in Leadership and Innovation in Contemporary Media at the American University in Dubai. In her spare time, she dabbles with some singing/songwriting, loves food, and is mom to an over-enthusiastic Labrador retriever. Tweet at her @shootsprintrite.