As the UAE leadership is working on the gradual reopening of the economic activities in the post-pandemic recovery process, students across the country are also preparing for a new school year starting August 30. The authorities are preparing new models for schools across the emirates as parents prepare their children for the prospects of returning to the classrooms after months of shut down.

In Dubai, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority has invited schools to submit proposals for new schooling models focusing on student count, campus size, and the number of teaching staff. Proposals must ensure adhering to safety and security measures to protect the pupils from the virus as they attend classrooms after the lockdown. While some schools are seeking to hold classes in garden areas or gymnasiums others are considering continuing online classes.

In Abu Dhabi, schools have the option to choose from various suggestions including holding full-time classes for students or on alternative days, half days, alternating weeks, or combinations of either of them. However, full distance learning will not be an option for schools in Abu Dhabi. Evidently, parents have to be informed by the schools in advance about the model of schooling they are going to implement on their campuses.

Precautions for parents to ensure before sending their children to classrooms:

According to experts, the first steps to precaution have to be taken by parents to ensure the safety of the children. It is necessary for parents to guide and instruct the children on how to take care of themselves to ensure no one around them gets ill. It is also important for parents to speak about the stress that their children will have to deal with revolving around the expected changes in the school environment in the coming months. It will require parents to guide the children about expected testing, temperature checks, ensuring social distancing, and face masks. Children also might have to undergo COVID-19 tests before starting schools in Abu Dhabi.

Dr. Izza Khan, a consultant pediatrician at NMC Royal Hospital, Dubai Investment Park, spoke to media, stating that it is vital for children to adjust to the new changes for their academic development along with their social, mental, and emotional well-being in the midst of the health crisis.

“Most children are very resilient. They have spent most of the time at home, so they do understand and realize the world has changed,” she said.

It is also crucial to teach the children about the proper way to wash their hands (for at least 20 seconds), along with the correct way to cough and sneeze into their elbow or tissue to ensure the safety of people around them. Every student over the age of six is required to wear face masks at schools.

Furthermore, ensuring enough sleep before returning to the classrooms is also significant for healthy schooling among the students. Due to lockdown, children might have become accustomed to later bedtimes and it is time that they once again become used to an early start of the day.

“When children sleep on time and have a routine, this makes their immune system much stronger. And they are able to fight off infections. So we need to ensure they sleep on time, they wake up early, they have a healthy breakfast before they go to school," Dr. Khan said.

It is also advised that parents carry out early morning temperature checks of their children before sending them to the school. This is because schools can turn away students with mild fever or cough at the gates itself.

“Some parents before COVID-19 would send their kid with mild fever or give them some paracetamol and send them to school and say ‘let’s see what happens’. That’s not advisable at all," Dr. Khan added.

According to experts, children are facing anxiety in two ways. The first revolves around the fear of potentially exposing themselves to the virus while returning to the schools whereas the other involves the fear of not being able to keep up with the schoolwork or coursework as they have been studying at home for the past few months.

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge has issued guidelines to the parents suggesting that they inform their children that it is normal to feel anxious or nervous about returning to school during the current time.

“Have an open conversation about their anxieties and fears about returning to school and reassure them about safety measures and precautions the schools will have in place to keep everyone healthy,” the department said in its statement.

It is also advised that parents explain the children about the importance of keeping themselves and their community healthy by wearing a mask, maintaining social distancing, and sanitizing hands amid the ongoing pandemic.

“We can assure them that in a few countries around the world, their schools have opened,” Dr. Khan further stated.