With an impressive portfolio of projects, Al Bateen offers a vast range of high-quality fasteners across industries
The normal process for most schools is to hire cleaning companies on a contractual basis. They do light cleaning during the summer months, and then deep-cleaning one or two weeks before school starts.
Brendon Fulton, principal of Taaleem's Dubai British School, told Khaleej Times: "The cleaners are in school throughout the holidays, as this is the time when they conduct deep-cleaning of all the classrooms and various school areas.
"They also work during the holidays to maintain cleanliness in the school, while building works are taking place. These are normally minor changes to classrooms and office areas and, sometimes, larger works, such as the addition of new facilities."
In the week leading up to the start of school, the cleaners shift their focus to the classroom environment, Fulton said.
"It's when they work on teacher requests for further cleaning and make 100 per cent sure that toilets, the canteen, the playgrounds and all sports facilities are hygienic and clean to the highest possible standards."
At all GEMS schools in the UAE, daily cleaning operations also continue throughout the holiday.
Paul Slater, vice-president of health, safety and environment at GEMS Education, said schools often operate summer camps over the break, so students are still present.
"It's vitally important that hygiene and cleanliness standards are maintained at all times," he said. On top of the daily cleaning routines, schools undergo a more thorough deep clean prior to re-opening. To manage this, GEMS Education uses a contracted specialist cleaning company to ensure that all of our schools are clean, hygienic and fit for use at all times."
The principal of Nord Anglia International School Dubai, Matthew Farthing, said it's important to create a safe, clean and healthy learning environment for children.
"While children should be able to make a mess and still learn, they shouldn't be learning in dirty environments. If they respect it as a clean environment, they would want to learn better and harder," he said.
His school also carries out everyday cleaning throughout the summer, which intensifies a week before the start of the school year.
Farthing added that while it's the school management's responsibility to ensure a clean and safe environment, it is also important to teach children a lesson on tidiness.
He used the Japanese school system as an example, where students are required to clean their classrooms after the end of lessons.
"There's a difference between keeping clean and keeping tidy. In Japanese school system, kids tidy up the whole environment, and I think that is wonderful," Farthing said.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com
With an impressive portfolio of projects, Al Bateen offers a vast range of high-quality fasteners across industries
Israel's military campaign against Hamas has reduced much of the territory of 2.3 million people to a wasteland with most civilians homeless
The event caters to diverse interests, including medicine and emerging career paths
Organised by Ameeraga Tamil Sangam, the event had participants from across the UAE
The esteemed initiative delivered essential grocery food baskets to around 5,000 deserving families across 14 Bangladeshi districts
Judges for the AI awards not only recognise excellence and innovation, but also assess performance and monitor progress in artificial intelligence computing and responses
A plea moved in court stated that no one is permitted to wear the official state institution outfit
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso had been the favourite to succeed Klopp but has now committed himself to the German club after leading them to a first-ever Bundesliga title