Dubai schools can deliver textbooks now – KHDA

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai’s education regulator, has confirmed that schools across the emirate can either deliver textbooks to its students or have parents collect them from the school’s premises.

It also added that schools are in full knowledge of this directive.

“Schools may choose to deliver books or ask parents to pick them up. In both situations, strict health and safety guidelines must be followed. Schools are adhering to these guidelines when packaging and delivering books. If books are delivered, they must be received by an adult. Both the delivery driver and the adult must wear masks and gloves when exchanging books. The receipt will be sent online after delivery has taken place,” KHDA said on its website.

Meanwhile, it added that families that wish to enroll their children in a school are currently not allowed inside the physical premises of the campus for a school tour or meeting.

The KHDA further confirmed that those students in Year 2 and above that fail to complete Term 3 though distance learning will be considered withdrawn from school.

“Article 4 of Ministerial decree 229 (March 30th) from the UAE Ministry of Education states that students in Grade 1/Year 2 and above who do not complete Term 3 through distance learning will be considered withdrawn from school.

If they wish to be enrolled in the next Grade/Year for the 2020/21 academic year, they must present a “transfer certificate” and ‘passing certificate’ from their previous school stating that they have passed the previous grade/year. Schools are able to issue these certificates at their discretion.”

On March 8, the UAE’s Ministry of Education (MoE) made the announcement to have an early spring break, ordering students to stay at home for four weeks as part of precautionary measures against the Covid-19 virus. Meanwhile, a two-week distance learning programme was announced for students during the break.

On March 30, it was announced that the distance learning programme would be extended until the end of the current academic year.

Read more: All UAE schools, universities to extend e-learning programmes until June

The extension of e-learning prompted parents to seek relief related to school fees, with several schools across the country announcing fee waivers of around 20 per cent for the third term.

Read: Revealed: All you need to know about tuition fee discounts offered by UAE schools

Also read: How is Covid-19 changing the UAE’s educational landscape?