Schools in the UAE welcomed pupils back to classrooms on Monday, with principals saying there was a clear appetite for no more disruption to children’s education.
A number of nurseries said they were struggling financially as some parents kept children home, in a sector in which fees are often paid monthly instead of by term.
The return to in-person learning came after an enforced period of distance learning due to renewed Iranian attacks on the UAE last week.
Most schools reported that only a small minority of pupils in the UAE were still learning remotely, with most families opting to send their children back to the classroom.
“Everybody is craving normality. We talk about rhythms and routines, and that's just simply what people want. We really do not want any more distractions or disturbances,” said John Bell, founding principal of Bloom World Academy.
He pointed to how the school dealt with last week’s alert as an example of how schools were in a good position to deal with any further crises.
Bright Beginnings Nursery
“As a school we were very organised and did all of the procedures that were necessary. It happened at a very busy time for us at the end of the school day,” said Mr Bell. “We end a bit later than most schools. So at 5pm we had a whole evacuation procedure which went really smoothly. We want to be back and everybody generally wants to just get on with it.”
At Repton Al Barsha in Dubai, after-school programmes were running while the alert went off.
“Everyone was calm. They followed the process and immediately afterwards we followed our own internal systems to follow up with families to let them know that everything went well,” deputy head teacher Ami Perry told The National.
For pupils taking exams, the disruptions have been reminiscent of the pandemic with widespread cancellations and more alternative methods of awarding grades.
“This is really disruptive [for them]. There's no question about that. Disruptive to the continuity, rhythms and routines of learning, and the time lost,” said Mr Bell.
Ms Perry said that while most pupils have returned to the classroom, there are exceptional circumstances that have led schools to adopt a hybrid model. She anticipates end of term exams to be held as scheduled.
“Every family's circumstances are different. With that in mind, our remote provision is reviewed on a weekly basis. We tend to have a reduced number of students who are accessing it,” she said.
Different class
In a move similar to events during the pandemic, critical A-Level, International Baccalaureate and GCSE international examinations were cancelled for thousands of pupils across the UAE and other countries in the Middle East, due to the upheaval of the war.
Most boards, including IB, Cambridge and Pearson, moved to contingency grading models based on coursework, mock exams, internal assessments and teacher evidence, with external moderation.
For Barney Durrant, headmaster at Brighton College Abu Dhabi, the switch has become easier over time. He emphasised flexibility, patience and communication as being key during this period.
“As a school, we have become increasingly confident in managing shifts between in-person and distance learning when needed. Our priority is always to ensure continuity, clarity and calmness. We also remain mindful that pupils need support not only academically, but emotionally, especially when routines change,” Mr Durrant said.
The lessons learnt during the pandemic have played a key role in allowing schools to prepare for such emergencies as those experienced since the start of the war.
“One of the most noticeable impacts of returning to school is the energy students gain from being with their peers,” said Lee Hole, principal of Dubai British School Jumeira.
“This was something we learnt during Covid and has been reinforced again recently. Schools play a vital role in developing social and communication skills, helping children to build and sustain meaningful relationships.”
Offering reassurance to pupils was also key to a successful return, said Lisa Johnson, principal of American Academy for Girls.
“We know that after disruption, students often need stability before they can fully re-engage academically,” said Ms Johnson.
“Our goal has been to keep school feeling steady, connected, and reassuring for students while balancing academics with well-being as we head towards the Eid break.”
Nurseries
Nurseries, which face their own set of challenges with trying remote learning with children aged four and under, also resumed in-person instruction.
Bright Beginnings Nursery hopes this is the last of the disruptions, and that business will pick up again.
“There's a whole huge knock-on effect here every time we close. It is a huge financial impact on us, but we're trying to be as supportive as possible, not just for our staff, but for our families as well,” managing director Jo Shaban told The National.
They say that 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the children returned today to their branches across Abu Dhabi.
“Some parents are not comfortable, especially that we had a second closure now. We still have a lot of families that showed up, but some people are saying they prefer to wait,” group director of Bright Beginnings Nursery Joud Zuriekat said.
Although nurseries and schools follow under the same guidelines from the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, cancellations from parents lead to nurseries not getting their fees paid during remote instruction unlike school tuition. Ms Zuriekat hopes to separate the two and have tailored guidelines.
“I feel that they can split nurseries from schools and we don't have to be treated the same way,” said Ms Zuriekat. “When you go online, it's not something that's really suitable for young children.”
Ms Shaban added: “Unfortunately, nurseries are really suffering at the moment and many are closing.”
