Covid-19 in UAE: Wearing masks must for teachers in classrooms

Abu Dhabi - Authorities have also told students to avoid shaking hands while greeting others.

Teachers will have to wear facemasks all the time when in classrooms and should always be at least one metre away from students when pupils return for face-to-face learning during the new school year which begins in September, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has said.

Authorities have also told students to avoid shaking hands while greeting others and exchange school equipment with care when using personal protective equipment as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

In their latest schools’ guide, the MoE said when pupils return for lessons on campuses, the educational institutions should follow protocols to protect the entire school community, pointed out authorities.

They stressed the need to adhere to the physical distance of one meter between students in classrooms, laboratories, and learning resource rooms, and to follow the same distancing norms in other facilities.

“Physical distancing between students, teachers and administrative staff should be one metre, and posters indicating so should be put across the school and in parking areas to ensure compliance with rules,” said the officials.

“Daily temperature checks for students, teachers, administrative staff and service providers such as guards and cleaners is mandatory before entering the educational facilities. The temperature should be below 37.5 degrees Celsius.”

The MoE also noted that teachers, students and other school workers need to wear facemasks all the time while on the school campus, except pupils under the age of six.

“It is good thing for students and school employees to carry with them two facemasks when going to school every day so that one of the masks is used in the morning and the second during the afternoon,” the officials added.

“All facemasks should be disposed of in the bins designated for medical wastes.”

Students and teachers were also told to ensure that they don’t come into close contact with infected persons at least two weeks before the start of school hours.

The schools’ guide also recommended that students should limit carrying school supplies such as small bags for laptops and meals and that if they bring them along, they should be allocated separate rooms where they must be kept.

The ministry has called on educational institutions to provide guiding and awareness to students, parents and school workers on the importance of complying with Covid-19 precautionary measures, including physical distancing, washing and sanitising hands, for the safety of pupils.

In the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) had earlier released a raft of updated precautionary Covid safety policies for the new academic year, which comprised the vaccination requirement for everyone entering schools, including all students aged 16 years and over, as well as school staff and visiting parents and scaling down physical distancing to one meter within classrooms and throughout school grounds to enable increased classroom capacities for face-to-face lessons.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com