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UAE weather: Will all schools be closed again tomorrow? Latest advice and school reactions as KHDA confirms remote learning Thursday and Friday
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UAE weather: Will all schools be closed again tomorrow? Latest advice and school reactions as KHDA confirms remote learning Thursday and Friday

by Tabitha BardaApril 16, 2024

UPDATED 17.4.24: The Dubai government has announced that Dubai private schools will remain closed and on remote learning for the rest of the week until Friday 19 April as the country recovers from the ramifications of the recent severe UAE weather:

This announcement has been confirmed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), which regulates Dubai schools. It stated on its social media channels:

“Keeping in mind the safety of students and staff, all Dubai private schools, nurseries, and universities must continue to offer distance learning on April 18 & 19. Stay safe everyone.”

The Emirates Schools Education Establishment has announced that all UAE public, government-run schools will remain closed and on distance learning for Thursday 18 April. It is not yet confirmed whether UAE public school students will be required to attend in-person school for the half day on Friday.

Although the adverse UAE weather conditions have now calmed, the largest amount of rainfall seen in the country since records began has wreaked havoc across all seven emirates, and the decisions to remain closed are a precaution in order to ensure that buildings are ready for the safe return of pupils.

 Surpassing anything documented since the start of data collection in 1949, the highest rainfall was recorded in the “Khatm Al Shakla” area in Al Ain, reaching 254 mm in less than 24 hrs.

There has been considerable flooding, with hundreds of cars abandoned on waterlogged roads. Many school buildings have been affected, with schools’ maintenance staff working round the clock to secure the environment in advance of students returning to in-person learning.

All UAE schools first switched to distance learning on Tuesday 16 April due to the inclement UAE weather sweeping across the country, causing widespread flooding and damage to property.

Public schools closed for both Tuesday and Wednesday

The Emirates Schools Education Establishment announced on Monday 15 April that all public schools in the UAE would be closed for two days – both Tuesday 16 and Wednesday 17 April – due to the unstable UAE weather forecast. The establishment posted on social media:

“Due to the current weather conditions, the Emirates School Education Foundation decided to adopt the distance learning system for all government schools in the country on Tuesday and Wednesday, corresponding to April 16 and 17, 2024, in order to preserve the safety of students and teaching staff.”

However, this ruling does not apply to private schools in the UAE, which are subject to the decisions of each emirate’s own education authority and subject to the individual emirate’s local Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management team.

Some private schools to return to school tomorrow?

Private schools across the UAE have been officially instructed to close only for one day, on Tuesday 16 April. This means that private school students should expect to return to in-person learning from tomorrow 17 April.

However, the emirates of Sharjah, Umm Al Qwain and Ajman have all taken the decision to activate two days of remote learning for all private schools also, stating:

“The local Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Team in Sharjah has decided to activate the distance learning system in all private schools and higher education institutions in the emirate on Tuesday and Wednesday (April 16 & 17). The Team has also called off all sporting activities and competitions organised by the Sharjah Sports Council in the emirate due to the prevailing weather conditions in the country.

“The decision is aimed at maintaining the safety of students and teaching staff in the emirate and raising the state of alert and readiness to deal with any adverse weather conditions. The authorities are constantly monitoring the weather situation and has taken all measures to ensure the provision of essential services in the Emirate.”

As it currently stands, this means that UAE private school students in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, RAK and Fujairah will be returning to in-person learning tomorrow, although this could change at short notice and will be subject to official confirmation from the relevant authorities and your child’s individual school.

NCEMA issues Stay-at-Home order – is it safe to return to school tomorrow?

The National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority (NCEMA) has issued an alert for everyone in the country to stay at home in the current unstable UAE weather conditions. It wrote:

“NCEMA emphasizes the importance of staying at home and adhering to safety guidelines during the weather condition and obtaining information from official sources”.

There is currently as forecast for heavy rainfall across all of the emirates for the rest of Tuesday, with rain set to continue into early Wednesday morning.

However, by later in the morning on Wednesday the rain is forecast to have stopped in most areas, with some light rain continuing in isolated areas.

The UAE National Centre for Meteorology stated in its weather bulletin:

Tuesday 16 April 2024

Unstable weather will continue, accompanied by convective clouds with rainfall of different intensities over scattered areas, and a significant decrease in temperatures. Moderate to fresh winds, strong at times especially with clouds activity causing blowing dust and sand reducing the horizontal visibility. The sea will be rough and very rough with clouds in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea

Wednesday 17 April 2024

Partly cloudy in general and cloudy with rainfall over some Northern and Eastern areas. Humid by night and Thursday morning over some internal and coastal areas. Light to moderate Northwesterly to Southwesterly winds, freshening at times causing blowing dust, with a speed of 10 – 25 reaching 40 km/hr. The sea will be rough to moderate, becoming slight by evening in the Arabian Gulf and rough to moderate in Oman Sea.

How likely is it that it will be remote learning for private schools tomorrow?

The decision as to whether it will be remote learning for private schools on Wednesday 17 April is subject to the decision local emirates National Crisis and Disaster Management team, and the advice from each individual emirate’s local education authority.

SchoolsCompared reached out to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHA), Dubai’s education regulator to ask when parents can expect to find out whether their children will be at home again tomorrow, but it was not able to comment at this time.

However, it seems likely that schools may be given the option to work remotely tomorrow, based on the safety of their local roads and on whether there is any disruptive rain damage in their school.

For now, continue to monitor communications from your individual school regarding whether remote learning will continue for another day.

This is a live story and we will update as we receive more information.

In pictures: UAE schools’ rain reactions

Raffles Internationl School

See our review of Raffles International School here. 

Safa Community School

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Safa Community School (@safa_scs)

See our review of Safa Community School here. 

GEMs International School

See our review of GEMS International School here. 

 

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Distance Learning, Dubai rain, Dubai weather, rain chaos, remote learning, UAE rain, uae schools closed, UAE weather, uae weather forecast
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About The Author
Tabitha Barda
Tabitha Barda is the Senior Editor of SchoolsCompared.com. Oxbridge educated and an award winning journalist in the UAE for more than a decade, Tabitha is one of the region's shining lights in all that is education in the emirates. A mum herself, she is passionate about helping parents - and finding the stories in education that deserve telling. She is responsible for the busy 24x7 News Desk, our Advisory Boards and Specialist Panels - and Parents United's WHICHPlaydates - a regular meeting place for UAE parents to discuss the issues that matter to them, make friends and network with others. You can often find Tabitha too on Parents United - our Facebook community board, discussing the latest schools and education issues with our parent community in the UAE - and beyond.

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