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Pupils are spaced apart at the cafetaria at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
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Parents see off their children off to classes for the first time since March in August 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Naividh Pillai, aged 3, looks a little bewildered as he arrives for his first day at Gems Wellington Academy with sister Alaikha and parents Meera and Deepesh. Antonie Robertson / The National
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Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Antonie Robertson/The National
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Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Thermal monitors at the entrance scan people for signs of fever or high temperature. Antonie Robertson/The National
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Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Antonie Robertson / The National
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A pupil wearing a colourful face shield arrives at Horizon International School in Dubai on Sunday. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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A mother helps her son sanitise his hands as he arrives at Horizon school. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Children arrive for school at Horizon International School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Children arrive for school at Horizon International School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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A pupil gets her temperature checked at the entrance of Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
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Pupils return to Al Mizhar American Academy in Dubai. Shruti Jain for The National
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A staff member assists a pupil as Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
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Tarryn Patel, a homeroom teacher from South Africa, attends to her grade 1 pupil at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
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Pupils are spaced apart at the cafetaria at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
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Parents see off their children off to classes for the first time since March in August 2020. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/S3MKYGSBRVWAY4FCIMM2O4DEDY.jpg?smart=true&auth=f9563770a9883c74f8bebf26b0ac5ea97f8e09f9dc36876a446ee022d98e8ed4&width=400&height=225)
Naividh Pillai, aged 3, looks a little bewildered as he arrives for his first day at Gems Wellington Academy with sister Alaikha and parents Meera and Deepesh. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/TVFCIH5ORTPCWC5HJUISXIEEP4.jpg?smart=true&auth=894ca2e62febfae78f61a782562bad970bca5f8a5181553ef6473cd7d7218d46&width=400&height=225)
Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Antonie Robertson/The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/PYPXPCC3UBRGAGYBJZYTZVNDRY.jpg?smart=true&auth=2d101099785fa947b375b8339cb895ed38e8b7e80a1f477cc6c5746069a3c0cb&width=400&height=225)
Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Thermal monitors at the entrance scan people for signs of fever or high temperature. Antonie Robertson/The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4VTDXADY5EQTO7SLO5KLIQAETE.jpg?smart=true&auth=66077708269bd7b98e42d116b8cc523c55bb8169bbfb86030651672ad480428e&width=400&height=225)
Gems Wellington Academy in Al Khail opens for the start of the school year. Antonie Robertson / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SHAE5UJU5RT73ULWBXWVFS3E4A.jpg?smart=true&auth=1d603469f262328823d2db21c368f044370375f7e020082dbf0946e1eb0756f5&width=400&height=225)
A pupil wearing a colourful face shield arrives at Horizon International School in Dubai on Sunday. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/MHLXM5RA4NDUCCFK6WGCKV3O3E.jpg?smart=true&auth=e285e171d293c11ce607a6006d4d4cabee81235d40f2ab0cb24c8a86179c09a6&width=400&height=225)
A mother helps her son sanitise his hands as he arrives at Horizon school. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Children arrive for school at Horizon International School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Children arrive for school at Horizon International School in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R7FY5E7A6HNRRTQCFCUSMBR3VA.jpg?smart=true&auth=926a4c0acf6fa762b7f1af4ccff743f6f576fe5ecdd1b97a56e46f63d55a6983&width=400&height=225)
A pupil gets her temperature checked at the entrance of Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QPSAM7DSJ2LODTUMJ4QMSGCGZA.jpg?smart=true&auth=87deb131d69a5f1bbc622d97cd7d8ded004d13de5f13980d8da1546485b6af5a&width=400&height=225)
Pupils return to Al Mizhar American Academy in Dubai. Shruti Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WXCYQMR6G7HQX2ONXVWFX5V2TM.jpg?smart=true&auth=92c4d8dfb66e2175be2640ad14c28f1d143b1346a45ae4fbb9e33ebc529a5f6e&width=400&height=225)
A staff member assists a pupil as Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DDCGZRUETSYK5JNX6DK36COV3M.jpg?smart=true&auth=cd2631fd23651bf083fa8ef3c50c1841e15e516fa7958bd0cee96ff3c3897bcc&width=400&height=225)
Tarryn Patel, a homeroom teacher from South Africa, attends to her grade 1 pupil at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6MB6M4CSGN66GD352O6JCPFFLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=202f1811d2d4c8dc41735ff52818b95f20c84585aeb555fbc2ec03c66c60491e&width=400&height=225)
Pupils are spaced apart at the cafetaria at Al Mizhar American Academy. Shruti Jain for The National
Five models UAE schools can follow as pupils return to class
From alternating weeks to 'pupil bubbles', schools have adopted various measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus
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Anam Rizvi
01 September, 2020
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