Full Attendance Expected In Dubai Next Academic Year

Since schools have started to close for the summer holidays, the teachers and principals are expecting full attendance from all the students when they return for the next academic year.

What was the situation in the past year regarding full attendance?

According to data published by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), for the first time since schools reopened in Dubai, the number of students attending offline classes has increased when compared to their attendance in distance learning.

Around fifty-two percent take part in on-site classes and have combined learning. Since vaccinations are now available for children from the age of 12 to 15, schools are now much more optimistic about having the students back in classrooms, if the covid cases remain stable.

The UAE’s education authorities conveyed to the students and parents before parting for the summer break that they’re now more hopeful as the country is being strongly vaccinated. 97% of the school staff have gotten at least one jab of the coronavirus vaccine, according to KHDA.

Lisa Johnson, principal of the American Academy for Girls, addressed the decrease in the number of covid cases in their school since the vaccinations have been made available to all the staff and students.

She also said they even had one-third of the staff out for close contact and the absenteeism related to covid cases has also declined. In the past month, the number of absentees because of Covid has dipped considerably. 

What do parents, students, and teachers have to say about this?

Michael Pantoja, a parent of a student at GEMS Winchester School, Dubai talked about how her child had a fully online mode of education in the past year, but now they are keen on sending him back to a physical school.

Students also seem more positive now, considering that the majority of their fellow schoolmates would be inoculated by the next school year. Saira Sambhar, Year 9 student at GEMS Wellington International School expressed how fortunate she was to receive the vaccine. 

She was aware of how even many adults haven’t received the vaccination in many countries around the globe. She said that she was anticipating a new academic year in which she doesn’t have to be worried about people being sick.

Rashmi Nandkeolyar, principal and director of DPS Dubai also mentioned how the UAE’s vaccination program has made all children, their families, schools, and the society as a whole safer. This considerably increased parents’ confidence in sending their kids to schools. Although previously they preferred online classes for their children, now they are relieved and feel secure enough to send them to campuses.

Aryan C, a 16-year-old student of Jumeirah College also spoke up about the same. Before the vaccination drive, many of his classmates would miss lectures due to being infected with Covid-19 or because they came in contact with an infected individual. This would lead the class to be shifted to the online mode as a safety measure. These cases have gone down significantly since his classmates got vaccinated. He was excited to see his classmates in person.