Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, has stressed the importance of finding “alternative methods” to provide high quality education in the emirate. He directed Dubai’s education regulator Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to develop “new effective solutions” to ensure the smooth delivery of education “in line with the needs of the future”.
This came as Sheikh Hamdan visited the KHDA office on Wednesday.
Sheikh Hamdan expressed confidence in the preparations of the Ministry of Education, KHDA and school managements to provide a safe and positive educational environment.
Sheikh Hamdan issued directives to ensure students and staff across schools enjoy “the highest benchmarks of safety and protection”.
He said “innovative measures” are required to ensure the “seamless delivery of education” amid Covid-19. “Effective approaches that guarantee both optimal standards of safety in schools and the highest quality of education are required to help students resume their educational journey.”
Director-General of KHDA Dr Abdulla Al Karam briefed Sheikh Hamdan about the precautionary measures and guidelines that will be implemented in schools reopening for the 2020-21 academic year.
Private schools in Dubai have the option to choose an approach suitable to them, depending on the size, location and number of students. Schools can accommodate students in one shift or morning and afternoon shifts and have the option of providing either partial or full distance learning alternatives depending on their agreement with parents.
Safety measures in schools
> Appointing a trained health and safety official to ensure that people and processes in the school comply with health and safety protocols
> Screening all students and staff for temperature at entry points to the school
> Ensuring physical distance between students and staff
> Reducing the head-count capacity in classrooms, limiting gatherings and suspending group activities
> Avoiding crowding by staggering meal times
> Sterilising the school building, classrooms, laboratories and other facilities regularly.
> Preventing the support and maintenance service staff from entering the school when students and staff are present.
