Dubai: The English College in Dubai has literally gone the extra mile for its students by hand-delivering their graduation certificates in sanitised gift bags.
The UK school’s head of senior, Osman Idris, and deputy head of senior, Mike Edmonds, last week drove the length and breadth of Dubai to visit the homes of their 62 graduating Year 13 students.
They hand-delivered sanitised gift bags containing branded medical face masks, water flasks and ‘Graduation 2020’ certificates, partially illustrated by Dubai-based artist Hatty Pedder.
“We wanted to make sure that our graduates, who are experiencing a very unusual situation this year, do feel that we absolutely value them and miss them a lot, as we have not seen them physically since March when the distance learning commenced,” Edmonds said.
Idris said, “Some of our graduates have been with The English College since their primary school days and for them to not be able to be in class, see their friends and teachers during their last months at The English College made us think about how we could lift their spirits and make them feel that, despite the present challenges, they can achieve anything they want in their life.”
Graduation ceremonies in person have been called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The school has also planned a ‘Virtual Graduation Day’ on June 24.
School principal Mark Ford said, “This was a wonderful initiative by the Senior School team, and an important way to let our graduating students know that we truly appreciate all they have done for the school, that we will miss them terribly but remind them that they will always be part of the English College family.”
