Can you imagine how happy graduating students would have been if each of them received a parting gift hand-delivered by their school’s heads?
Bringing a pleasant surprise to their pupils over the last week, two senior leaders at The English College had been driving across Dubai – going house to house to visit their 62 graduating Year 13 students.
With each stop, the school heads deliver sanitised gift bags containing face masks, water flasks, and a very special ‘Graduation 2020’ certificates, partially illustrated by Dubai-based artist Hatty Pedder.
The UK school’s head of senior, Osman Idris, and deputy head of senior, Mike Edmonds, said they simply wanted to bring lift the spirits of their students.
“We wanted to make sure that our graduates, who are experiencing a very unusual situation this year, do feel that we absolutely value them and miss them a lot, as we have not seen them physically since March when the distance learning commenced,” said Edmonds.
“It has also been hard for us as teachers and being able to at least see them for a little while before they leave for good has been just one of the happiest moments for the past few months.”
Some students have been part of the institute since their primary school days, so the head teachers thought it best to bid them adieu personally.
Idris said: “For them to not be able to be in class, see their friends and teachers during their last months at The English College made us think about how we could lift their spirits and make them feel that, despite the present challenges, they can achieve anything they want in their life. As they are entering a truly new phase in their lives, it is very important that the route they take next is smooth and full of happiness and laughter.”
The school management said seeing the happy faces of their graduating students has truly been a memorable experience.
Mark Ford, principal of The English College, said: “This was a wonderful initiative by the senior school team, and an important way to let our graduating students know that we truly appreciate all they have done for the school, that we will miss them terribly but remind them that they will always be a part of The English College family.”
The school is planning to hold a virtual graduation day on June 24.
