UAE schools to resume trips, all activities under updated Covid protocols

School trips in the UAE will be fully restored, with those involved required to wear facemasks while on school buses, authorities have announced.

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated staff and students will be allowed to go on such trips, provided they have a green status on their Al Hosn app, according to updates announced by the UAE’s Ministry of Education and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA).

The new update allows the resumption of all activities and events in educational establishments. Parents are permitted to attend restored events and activities, in compliance with preventive measures, including wearing facemasks in closed spaces and the Green Pass Protocol on Al Hosn app.

Following the Green Pass Protocol will be mandatory for all visitors of educational establishments, along with students aged 16 and above, educational staff and personnel. Students under 16 years of age will have to conduct a monthly PCR test.

These directives will come into effect on Thursday, April 21.

#NCEMA and #MoE announce an update to the National Protocol for Educational Establishments effective today, which stipulates resumption of activities and trips and underlines guidelines for gradual closure in case of infections exceeding 15% of capacity https://t.co/vIUl31FYLg pic.twitter.com/H8B1GKjccb

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) April 21, 2022

The updates also requires all university students who wish to enter dorms to conduct a monthly PCR test, or to follow the Green Pass Protocol for vaccinated and unvaccinated students.

The procedures for the gradual closure of institutions in the case of confirmed Covid-19 cases will follow the guidelines issued by local emergency and crises committees and teams in each emirate. Educational institutions will be closed for three days if the Covid-19 infection rate exceeds 15 per cent of the total attendance.

Contacts of confirmed Covid-19 positive cases are no longer required to quarantine, while following the guidelines issued by the health authorities as per the National Protocol for Covid-19 Close-Contact.

Furthermore, those infected and those with respiratory diseases may opt for the option of distance education. The directive is in lockstep with the country’s strategy to ensure community health and facilitate the safe return of students to educational establishments, official news agency WAM reported.

The Ministry of Education and NCEMA noted that all the updates are applicable nationwide, while implementation at the local level will be carried out in coordination with local emergency, crises and disasters committees in each emirate, a statement read.

All announced measures are subject to change based on the global and local health situation.