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Dubai private schools to end all distance learning by October 3

Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management said the decision was reached after extensive consultation with parents and school operators

by Varun Godinho

August 23, 2021

All private schools in Dubai must end their distance learning programmes by October 3, 2021.

The directive was issued by Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management on Monday, August 23, ahead of the start of the 2021-2022 academic year next week.

Private schools in the emirate will be permitted to carry out a combination of distance learning and in-person learning from the start of the academic year until October 3.

The committee noted that over 96 per cent of teaching staff and 70 per cent of children aged 12-17 in Dubai have been vaccinated.

#Dubai’s Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management announces gradual return to full in-person learning in private schools in 2021-22 academic year. pic.twitter.com/Korfh51yEe

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) August 23, 2021

The committee also decided to allow schools to conduct various activities in its premises provided that they maintain stringent compliance with precautionary measures that ensure the highest levels of health and safety for students and staff.

Strict adherence to safety protocols will ensure the success of the full in-person learning model in private schools, the committee said.

The decision was made by the Supreme Committee meeting which was chaired by Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and is part of its plan to return to normalcy given the high immunisation rates achieved by the Covid-19 vaccination programme. It said that the decision was reached after extensive consultation with parents and school operators.

Q&As related to keeping education community safe and on preventing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) at private schools in #Dubai. https://t.co/RItmO27N2C @KHDA

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) August 23, 2021

According to the website of Dubai’s private education regulator, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), vaccinations are not compulsory for staff and students above 16. KHDA said that eligible school staff who do not wish to have the vaccine must submit a negative PCR test each week. Students meanwhile are not obliged to submit negative PCR tests.