It is vital that children everywhere have access to education during the Covid-19 pandemic, said G20 education leaders. Chris Whiteoak / The National
It is vital that children everywhere have access to education during the Covid-19 pandemic, said G20 education leaders. Chris Whiteoak / The National
It is vital that children everywhere have access to education during the Covid-19 pandemic, said G20 education leaders. Chris Whiteoak / The National
It is vital that children everywhere have access to education during the Covid-19 pandemic, said G20 education leaders. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Coronavirus: Abu Dhabi to keep distance learning as an option after calls from parents


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

Distance learning will remain an option for pupils in Abu Dhabi, the city's private school regulator said.

In March, the government shut schools and brought all learning online to protect children and stem the spread of the virus.

Abu Dhabi had originally intended to bring all healthy pupils back into the classroom, at least part-time, for the upcoming school year. Children with underlying health conditions were, however, exempt.

Schools had been given the option, subject to approval, to allow children into school full-time; on alternating days, for half days; alternating weeks; or a combination of the above.

Responding to a strong call from parents who prefer continuing distance learning for their children, Adek has approved the option of full-time distance learning

Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) has now introduced a distance learning as an option for all children.

“Responding to a strong call from parents who prefer continuing distance learning for their children, Adek has approved the option of full-time distance learning for the upcoming term,” the department said in a statement.

“We have also dedicated a hotline which parents can use to report and address any concerns.”

The hotline can be contacted by calling 800 266754262.

Last month, a survey by Adek found just under half of parents in Abu Dhabi wanted to see children go back to full classes in September.

More than 158,000 people in the capital responded to the poll.

Speaking last month, Brendan Aspell, principal of Wales International school in Abu Dhabi, said teachers were already planning classes with a maximum of 15 pupils at any one time.

He suggested most parents wanted to see schools return in some form in after the summer.

“I think we went as far as we could with distance learning. I’m not sure it’s a realistic option to keep it going," he said.

All pupils must undergo a swab test to prove they are free of Covid-19 before they return to classroom under Adek's rules.

Pupils and staff will be routinely screened for infection to ensure their safety, said the regulator, which has introduced a string of measures to keep them safe.

Under the department's guidelines, pupils over the age of 6 must wear masks throughout the school day when they return after the summer.

Pupils' temperatures will also be checked daily with a non-contact thermometer before they enter school.

Pupils aged 6 and above, which equates to grade 1, or year 2, in the British system, must wear masks.

“If your child is unable to wear a mask, they may be allowed to wear a face shield if supported by a medical certificate," the guidelines said.

“Children of determination with hearing impairments may use transparent masks.”

Adek has warned that children who are homeschooled by their parents, without any enrolment in a school, run the risk of having to repeat it once they rejoin mainstream education.

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Profile of Bitex UAE

Date of launch: November 2018

Founder: Monark Modi

Based: Business Bay, Dubai

Sector: Financial services

Size: Eight employees

Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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What is a black hole?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
​​​​​​​

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Scoreline

Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan

 Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’

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Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

SPECS
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LOVE%20AGAIN
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While you're here
Company Profile

Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million

Ponti

Sharlene Teo, Pan Macmillan

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

T20 World Cup Qualifier, Muscat

UAE FIXTURES

Friday February 18: v Ireland

Saturday February 19: v Germany

Monday February 21: v Philippines

Tuesday February 22: semi-finals

Thursday February 24: final 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Volvo ES90 Specs

Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp

Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm

On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region

Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5