Sharjah students get e-book on COVID-19 safety as they return to class after six months
‘Fun, interactive’ manual provides important advise and tips for children, teens, parents
Sharjah: The Child Safety Department (CSD), an affiliate of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, on Saturday launched an educational e-booklet to mark the recent reopening of schools in the UAE under COVID-19 precautions. It also comes a day ahead of the reopening of schools in Sharjah on Sunday.
The booklet aims to prepare families on how to best manage the back-to-school transition, whether they have chosen to attend school physically or opted for a hybrid model of both distance and in-person learning. The materials offered in the booklet include comprehensive information on safety and protection guidelines to curb the spread of COVID-19.
CSD is distributing the bilingual e-booklet in Arabic and English to all students in Sharjah’s private schools, in collaboration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), as part of SPEA’s ‘Together We Return’ initiative. The e-booklet was produced in partnership with the Sharjah Child Friendly Office (SCFO) and Sharjah’s Health Promotion Department.
Targeting the entire family’s wellbeing, CSD’s e-booklet has recommended parents to consult their children and allow them to have a say in the decisions that affect them, by actively listening to children, giving them the opportunity to express themselves and making sure they feel valued.
The information supplied also encourages parents to monitor their children’s homework and assignments, help them plan their daily routine to balance play and study time, and create distraction-free environments for students attending classes from homes.
‘Unprecedented phase’
Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, director, CSD, said: “With proper knowledge and preparedness, we can achieve a smooth transition for all families as children return to the classrooms, whether via distance learning or hybrid models. This e-booklet will give them the guidance they need to raise their awareness on best safety practices in a fun, interactive way.”
For children, the e-booklet offers a host of interactive activities that will see children colouring in characters, connecting the dots and doodling to reveal correct behaviours and precautionary measures.