Fighting coronavirus: Arm your kids with masks, sanitisers to combat Covid-19 in UAE

Abu Dhabi - The ministry said that plans were afoot to ensure a gradual return of students of all educational stages in all UAE schools.

Arm your kids with personal protective kits - including face masks, hand sanitiers and gloves - whenever they attend school, as part of the measures to combat Covid-19 pandemic, parents have been told.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) said these safety requirements-especially face masks for kids aged six and above-were important for students as they return to schools for in-class lessons next week when the new academic year begins.
The ministry said that plans were afoot to ensure a gradual return of students of all educational stages in all UAE schools.
A document related to school reopening has been developed, which contains a set of protocols, requirements and precautionary measures that must be followed by all UAE educational facilities to create a safe, healthy and learning-stimulating educational environment when operating amid the pandemic, the MoE pointed out.
The protocols include ensuring social distancing and wearing masks at all times. The ministry also stressed the need for students, teachers, administrative staff and all service providers not to go to educational institutes when feeling any of the Covid-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches and headaches.
The MoE affirmed that its work teams, in cooperation with the UAE educational authorities, would make sure that schools continually observe the prescribed measures and protocols before and during school hours.
Parents were allowed to choose between standard education or in-class learning and remote learning for the first semester.
The ministry said it performed a simulation of children's attendance in schools to explore the challenges and opportunities for improvement. It pointed out that the physical attendance of students in schools will be gradual, being 25 per cent at the start of the year, then 50 per cent, then 75 per cent and finally 100 per cent, under close monitoring.
In Abu Dhabi, education regulators had announced the reopening of private schools from August 30 with in-class lessons. They have issued out a comprehensive safety guide for the same, including mandatory Covid-19 screening for all teachers, administrative staff and students above the age of 12, prior to returning to campuses.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com