Photos: New academic year gets off to an unusual start in UAE

A student arrives at the GEMS New Millennium school at Al Khail, Dubai, on the first day of school reopening. The UAE academic year gets off to a most unusual start on Sunday with a long checklist of safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students temperatures are checked before entering at the premises of Al Rashid Al Saleh Private School in Dubai.

Schools said they were ready to safely welcome back students since classrooms closed six months ago in March because of the pandemic.

A student arrives at the Indian High School in Dubai on first day of school after summer vacations.

Diya D of grade 9, Our Own English high school, Sharjah attending the e-Learning class on the first day after summer break. Private schools in Sharjah will adopt distance learning for the first two weeks.

Students temperatures are checked before entering at the premises of Al Rashid Al Saleh Private School in Dubai.

More than a million pupils are enrolled in the 1,200 public and private schools in the UAE for this academic year.

Parents drop their daughter at Al Rashid Al Saleh Private School in Dubai.

Before the reopening, inspections have been underway to see how well schools have been following government guidelines on health, safety and hygiene.

Parthiv Devadas of Grade 1, Our Own English high school, Sharjah (Boys branch) attends the e-Learning class on the first day of school after summer break.

A school bus on Ittihad road in Sharjah heading towards Dubai during the morning rush hours, on the first day of school.

Kids arrive at the Gems New Millennium School Al Khail, Dubai.

A student's temperature is checked as he arrives at the premises of Uptown School Mirdif, Dubai.

Students arrive at the GEMS New Millennium school at Al Khail, Dubai

Teachers and staff members go through a temperature check before entering the premises of Al Rashid Al Saleh Private School in Dubai.

Students arrive at Uptown School Mirdif, Dubai.

Children queuing up for temperature checks during entry to the Model School Abu Dhabi.

A student arrives at the GEMS New Millennium school at Al Khail, Dubai

Students start their first classes of the day at The Model School, Abu Dhabi.

A student arrives at the GEMS New Millennium school at Al Khail, Dubai

Kids arrive at the Gems New Millennium School, Al Khail, Dubai.