Dubai: Happy faces, some traffic as schools return to full in-person learning

Yellow school buses took over Dubai's roads on Sunday morning, with long tailbacks at signals, as students returned to full in-person learning.

Most students can no longer opt for distance learning unless they fall under one of the three exception categories outlined by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Students with chronic medical conditions can continue with remote learning, but they must provide a medical report stating why they cannot attend school.

Similarly, students who live in a household with high-risk individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons are also exempted from in-person classes. But in this case, a medical report must be provided for the person with the medical condition.

In addition, the KHDA announced that students who are outside the country and cannot return due to international travel restrictions can also opt for distance learning. Such students need to submit a certificate from the relevant government entity.

More than 75 per cent of students have already returned to school since the start of the new academic year on August 29.

The KHDA said last week that it had conducted more than 711 visits since the start of the school term.

“The overwhelming majority of schools were found to be in compliance with all precautionary guidelines," the KHDA had said.