Back to School Full Official Covid Guidance for Parents In Abu Dhabi – Dubai to Follow.

Background: Back to School Full Official Covid Guidance for Parents In Abu Dhabi – Dubai to Follow.

ADEK, the Abu Dhabi regulator of schools, has today released official and comprehensive guidance for students returning to all private schools in the emirate for the 2021-22 academic year. The guidance covers every aspect of what is required for students to be able to return to school and the changes that will take place in classrooms and across learning:

“We have harnessed all insights and lessons learned to update the Private Schools Reopening Policies and Guidelines and enable a physical return to classrooms.

Our goal is to facilitate greater face-to-face learning, giving your children the opportunity to reconnect with their teachers and friends while maintaining the highest safety measures.

[…] rest assured that children’s safety and the safety of all staff and wider community remains paramount.

A successful return to schools is only possible when we all come together, both educators and parents, to do our part.”

ADEK Team. August 2021.

The report follows comprehensive guidance by the UAE Ministry of Education and confirmation is expected shortly from the KHDA, Dubai’s equivalent regulator of schools.

 

Key Facts – Back to School 2021-22 Academic Year

The full report is published below, but the key facts are these:

• All children aged 16 and above, and all school teachers and staff, must be vaccinated to return to school. Vaccinations must be completed two weeks prior to returning.
• Students between the ages of 3 – 15 years do not have to be vaccinated to attend school.
• All children aged 12 and above (excepting students of determination), and all school teachers and staff,  must show a valid negative PCR test result to enter the school.
• Families who have travelled outside the UAE during the holidays must follow and complete all quarantine requirements in addition to the above.
• Students aged 12 and above, teachers and staff will be tested every 2 weeks and will ned to complete a PCR test during every major holiday showing negative before returning to school.
• Social/physical distancing will reduce to 1M in school with exceptions for some activities including sport – see below.
• Masks will be mandatory for all students, staff and teachers except for (1) those in KG phases throughout the school day with varying exceptions for some sporting activities – see below.
• Sporting activities will resume – but with 2.5M social and individual distancing required for major sports (football, cricket, dance). Contact sports will be playable outdoors or in large areas internally only. For high intensity sports masks will not need to be worn (but the 2.5M distancing must be observed). For low intensity sports (Gold, Yoga) with little individual or social contact, masks will be worn and the distancing will be 1M. Swimming will be optional and subject to parental agreement to proceed for each student.
• Canteens will re-open serving hot food.
• Prayer Rooms will re-open.
• To visit schools, parents must be vaccinated and show proof of a negative PCR test (valid for 96 hours). An exception is made for limited, drop-off only visits by a single parents to a drop-off point outside school. In exceptional cases, for example distress, parents may be permitted to take younger children to classrooms – but in these cases the parent must be fully vaccinated and show proof of a valid negative PCR test.

• All children attending school must bring with them extra masks, a personal sanitizer, bring a filled water bottle and, if they have a PE lesson, wear the PE kit to school.

The full report and Guidance – Back to School 2021-22 Academic Year

This story is being live-updated. Final clarification for schools in Dubai is expected shortly.

Notes

Read the full ADEK news story here.

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