60% of UAE parents ready to send kids to school: Survey

Dubai - About 49 per cent would send their wards to school even if it resumes with 100 per cent students.

More than 60 per cent of parents in the UAE are willing to send their children to school once in-campus classes resume from the new academic year, a new survey has revealed. About 49 per cent would send their wards to school even if it resumes with 100 per cent students.
The YouGov survey commissioned by Centrepoint covered over 500 respondents.
Reacting to the survey results, a mother of two, Brazilian expat Carolina Oliveira, said: "I am actually quite open to the idea of sending my child to school every day. We are working parents and it works better for us if our children are in school. Frankly, I have no worries pertaining to Covid-19 as I am quite sure that the schools and the KHDA (Knowledge and Human Development Authority) will implement proper safety protocols as children return to schools physically."
Working single mother, Syrian expat Majd Al Khatib, said her children's learning is not at an "optimum level" as she is unable to monitor them during e-classes. "I feel the situation in the UAE is much better now and children need to be physically present in their schools daily and have a routine again. Their interaction with their teachers and peers is also important for a holistic development."
Indian mother Madhulika Chatterjee said she is confident that institutions are taking enough precautions to ensure student safety. "Education requires a certain kind of discipline. As parents, we know schools in Dubai are robustly working on delivering a safe learning environment. I feel the essence of education is lost if you are studying from home. The experiences of physical learning within a school and e-learning at home are vastly different. So I am keen on sending my daughter to school."
43% vote for blended model
The findings of the survey revealed that around 43 per cent of parents voted for hybrid learning schedules at schools.
Singaporean expat in Dubai, Kwan Mei, who is a mother of two, said: "In my native country, they have followed a blended model and it eventually worked well after initial disruptions. I am more in favour of a similar model along with secure bubbles or stable groups."
1 in 4 parents wants 100% e-learning
Around 25 per cent of the parents are advocating for online learning.
Filipino mother Cirsel Ferrer Kaul said: "Online schooling is a much better option at the moment as we've stayed vigilant throughout the outbreak and do not want to expose our child to so many outsiders suddenly."
nandini@khaleejtimes.com