Coronavirus: UAE government schools to pilot distance learning programme

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has said that it will initiate the pilot phase of a distance learning programme through its website for all government schools across the country beginning on Wednesday and Thursday this week.

All students and teachers in public schools will have a regular school day on Wednesday.

On Thursday, all students will remain at home while teachers will need to report at the school.

The programme will be piloted for Grades 6-9 students from 5-7pm on Wednesday.

It will be initiated for Grades 10-12 on Thursday.

The move comes as a precautionary measure for schools should they need to close in order to contain the spread of coronavirus.

وجهت وزارة التربية والتعليم، الإدارات المدرسية في تطبيق الخطة الموضوعة، والتي وفقاً لها سوف يكون الدوام المدرسي يوم الأربعاء بشكل اعتيادي للطلبة، وتطبيق التعلم عن بعد للحلقة الثانية فقط (من الصف 5 إلى 8 ) في الفترة المسائية من الساعة 5 حتى 7 مساء. pic.twitter.com/ln6hAfMHnl

— وزارة التربية (@MOEducationUAE) March 2, 2020

The UAE has until now reported 21 cases of coronavirus.

Other Gulf states like Bahrain have closed all schools for two weeks beginning last week as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of the virus.

A tweet from the UAE’s MoE read: “This step comes in order to achieve the requirements of the Emirati schools and to ensure continuity of the learning process without any difficulties..”

The ministry directed school administrations to launch an awareness campaign on distance education for parents, students, teachers and administrators and also asked that parents create an appropriate learning environment at home by providing internet services, and resources like computers, tablets, and smartphones, reported news agency WAM.

Parents were also advised to encourage students to practice distance learning as per the subject and time schedule approved by their schools.

The announcement is not applicable to private schools in the UAE.