Coronavirus: More than 1,800 children of medics get full fee waiver in UAE public schools

Scholarship holders will also get free laptops and no bus fare will be charged until they graduate from high school

Medical staff at Dubai's Mina Rashid drive-through testing centre smile for the camera. All photos by Chris Whiteoak / The National

Staff take DPI blood test samples, which give an indication of whether someone has the virus

Medics bag up samples at the drive-through, which is one of the country's busiest

The DPI sample blood sample allows drivers to cross the border into Abu Dhabi - but a PCR nasal swab test is needed to travel abroad

Staff have worked in gowns and other PPE gear throughout the sweltering summer

People get tested tests at Mina Rashid screening centre

Queues of vehicles are commonly seen outside the centre

Staff work to give people a result in just minutes

Staff work to give people a result in just minutes

The UAE has given a full fee waiver to 1,850 children of frontline heroes to study in any public school across the country.

Those selected will study free of cost until they graduate from high school.

Scholarship holders will also get free laptops and no bus fare will be charged either.

The children come from different nationalities who have called the UAE a second home.

Applications for scholarships are open until September 30.

The new scholarship programme, Hayyakum, comes after last week's announcement of a programme that will include a registry of more than 80,000 professionals deemed essential in the fight against Covid-19.

The list includes healthcare practitioners, cleaners, nurses, police, essential service providers, volunteers, and sanitation personnel, among others, who will receive support, financial benefits and recognition.

The scholarship programme is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Frontline Heroes Office.

It aims to help reduce the schooling costs and encourage long-term retention of frontline healthcare professionals in the UAE.

The programme will also launch other education-focused initiatives for the children in the future.

Emirati Aysha Al Blooshi is an advanced paramedic and her colleague Marwan Al Mansoori, from Yemen, is an emergency responder. Both work at the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services. Leslie Pableo for The National

Faisal Kamil, a father of three from Sudan, is a quality control manager at City Transport in Abu Dhabi. His team sanitises buses in the capital to ensure essential workers can get to supermarkets and hospitals. Victor Besa / The National

Leen Fares, from Syria, is a chemist. The Dubai resident has twice the number of customers and works long days to sure they get the medicine they need. Reem Mohammed / The National

Navas Ellias, from India, is a taxi driver. He says the public have been positive about him remaining at the wheel to take people on essential journeys to supermarkets, pharmacies and hospitals. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Faqir Mohammad, from Pakistan, is a gardener. Temperatures are taken at his housing accommodation to eliminate the spread of the virus. Reem Mohammed / The National

Emirati doctor Fatima Al Kaabi, from Abu Dhabi's SKMC, works 12 to 18 hours a day and is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Victor Besa / The National

Taha Hussein, from Egypt, is a barber at the Hair & Beard gents' salon near Ibn Batutta Mall in Dubai. He uses disposable capes and blades, as well as hand sanitiser, to protect his customers. Pawan Singh / The National

Bandana Rai, from Nepal, is a cashier at Lulu Hypermarket, Khalidiyah Mall in Abu Dhabi. It is among the few stores allowed open to ensure shoppers can get essentials. She says she feels safe because the company has installed thermal scanners and has given staff gloves and masks. Victor Besa / The National

Mutaz Kamal, from Jordan, is the manager at Souq Planet in Abu Dhabi's Etihad Plaza. Souq Planet's owners also make cleaning products, meaning his shop is well stocked with hand sanitiser. Victor Besa / The National

Emirati Afra Al Dhaheri is a vet and owns the capital's Cloud9 Pet Hotel. She offers free board and services for the pets of medical staff fighting the coronavirus pandemic. Victor Besa / The National

Dr Valerie Battistella, from France, is a vet at the Vienna Veterinary Clinic in Dubai. "The public has been surprised that we are open but also very very grateful." Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mohammad Sajid Ali, from India, is an alphamed technician with the Tadweer sterilisation team in Abu Dhabi. He says: "I do my job for the children; I want to keep them safe." Victor Besa / The National

Left to right: Soyab Bhasea, from India and Mohammad Zayed, from Pakistan, are delivery drivers for a distribution company, delivering goods to supermarkets and warehouses. Mohammad says: "I have to continue my work in these times. Allah hafiz [God will protect us]." Reem Mohammed / The National

Muhammad Asif, from Pakistan, is a security guard at the Movenpick Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel in Dubai. “I ask the delivery men to leave the packages outside and I bring it in. I cannot take any risks," he says. "We have many long-term occupants and a great number of them are elderly.” Pawan Singh / The National

Omar Edehmen, from Morrocco, is the head butcher at Souq Planet in Abu Dhabi. He says: "The first thing I do before I go to my work area is to thoroughly wash my hands before putting on my gloves. When I remove my gloves, I use hand sanitiser. If I know I touched something out of the work area, I wash my hands again before putting a new pair of gloves. A face mask is also always used when in the work area." Victor Besa / The National

Sanjay Kumar, from India, is a food delivery driver. He says: "Now, wherever I deliver the food, I leave the food package at the security reception or at the reception of the building, as customers are paying for the orders online. We are also using face masks, gloves, and washing and sanitising our hands regularly for safety." Sanjay works at the Indian restaurant Manvaar near Karama Fish Market in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Servesh Yadav, from India, is an Abu Dhabi free zone maintenance worker. Such crews ensure the ports can work around the clock to keep vital supplies coming in. Victor Besa / The National

Bam Babhdur, from Nepal, is a cleaner at the Khalidiyah Mall. He says: "I have protective equipment to keep safe. I am not scared; I am doing my duty." Victor Besa / The National

“Our frontline professionals are the true heroes of the UAE and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts,” said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the board of the Frontline Heroes Office.

“Their selfless service to their communities has helped us get through this difficult time and they are a shining example of the true values and culture of the UAE.

“We at Frontline Heroes Office hope to provide the same level of support and compassion that those on the frontline have provided to millions of people across our nation.

“We wish their children every success as they embark upon a new school year and we look forward to watching them follow in their parents’ footsteps to become outstanding members of society.”

Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, thanked the leaders of the country for providing the scholarships.

The Frontline Heroes Office was set up in July by a decree of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, and is under the direction of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

It was given the job of listening and responding to the challenges of frontline professionals, and ensuring they are "nationally recognised and celebrated".