Indian and Pakistani schools in Dubai reopen online, kicking off 2026-27 academic year

Dubai: Living rooms doubling as classrooms and parents helping tiny fingers click the right login button. This was the scene at many households in Dubai on Monday morning as Indian and Pakistani schools began the 2026-27 academic year online, with hundreds of kindergarten children experiencing their very first day of school not from a classroom, but from home.

While Asian schools across Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the northern emirates had already resumed online a week earlier, Dubai's Indian and Pakistani schools opened on April 6, each emirate operating on its own regulatory timeline. The majority of Indian schools in Dubai follow the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum.

For Punit MK Vasu, CEO of The Indian High Group of Schools, which is under CBSE and serves more than 13,000 students across three campuses in Dubai, the priority was getting the youngest learners settled into a structured yet manageable routine from day one.

"As we welcome the 2026-27 academic year, our mission remains continuity of high-quality affordable education while prioritising the overall wellbeing of our learners," he told Gulf News.

"We have pivoted a robust 'school at home' model for our learners. This is especially critical for our young learners in the early learning cohort."

The group hosts a significantly growing kindergarten community across The Indian High School in Al Garhoud and The Indian International School in DSO. Vasu said the school had deliberately engineered a balance between synchronous and asynchronous learning — bite-sized live lessons interspersed with offline activities — to manage cognitive load and limit screen time.

"The education journey for this age group cannot follow a 'one size fits all' approach," he said, adding that parents have been looped in through transparent communication on online protocols, access to lessons, and available helplines. The school's safeguarding team ensured all learners and staff had secure access to platforms and technical support.

At The Indian Academy, Dubai (TIAD) under the Leams Education Group, the first day was deliberately branded a "Wow Welcome Day," a term that captures the spirit of how the school approached its online relaunch.

Students took part in reflective writing, short poetry on their aspirations, creative poster-making linked to global themes, and peer connection circles to share interests and goals.

In the lead-up to term, the school had also held interactive orientation and demonstration sessions for parents and newly admitted students, with a particular focus on kindergarten and early primary learners, so families could experience the learning environment in advance.

"We believe that a confident and connected start lays the foundation for meaningful learning. Our focus from day one is to ensure every child feels valued, inspired, and ready to succeed," said Prarthana Kale, acting principal of TIAD.

Teachers also wove wellbeing practices into the day, encouraging reflection on gratitude, relationships, and personal goals, to create an emotionally secure environment from the very start of the year.

Deepika Thapar Singh, CEO-Principal of Credence High School, said the first day was vibrant and smooth, with families reaching out to share how settled and excited their children felt.

"What has made this transition so seamless is the rich experience we've built over the years. Our teachers are genuinely first-rate when it comes to virtual delivery — they've experimented with platforms, refined their interactive techniques, and learned what truly keeps a child engaged on screen," she said.

She credited students equally, describing them as confident, digitally fluent learners who transitioned without missing a beat.

For the youngest learners, the KG children stepping into school life for the very first time, Credence designed sessions that were warm, playful, and short, built around music, movement, storytelling, and visual activities. Parents, Singh said, were treated as co-learners. "When the home environment feels calm and prepared, children settle beautifully — and that's exactly what we've seen."

Meanwhile, at Ambassador School, one of only three schools in Dubai affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board, Principal Sheela Menon said online classes for KG students commenced on April 6 seamlessly, with interactive meet-and-greet sessions and storytelling to help children feel at ease.

"Teachers introduced basic online norms in a simple, engaging manner, while sessions were carefully designed to balance teacher-led interactions with offline activities," she said. The school had also held orientation sessions for parents ahead of term, covering class routines, expectations, and ways to support young learners from home.

Menon added that the daily schedule for KG students runs under four hours, with classes and breaks thoughtfully interwoven and session durations kept deliberately short. Consistent class links, a well-structured timetable, and weekly resource lists using simple materials form the backbone of the experience.

Dubai's two Pakistani schools also opened the new academic year online, with strong participation reported from the very first session.

Shamaela Ahmad, principal of the Pakistan Education Academy, said the school welcomed students back with enthusiasm across all classes. "While face-to-face interaction is missed, it has been heartening to see students' enthusiasm and beaming smiles virtually, particularly among the lower primary years," she said.

All KG classes commenced online from day one. Designated teams were put in place to guide parents through login access and class attendance, with continuous communication maintained through the school's online portals.

"Pre-board examinations under the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) also ran smoothly, with almost all students submitting papers within the allotted time," she added.

At HH Sheikh Rashid Al Maktoum Pakistani School, Principal Aisha Nasim described a deliberately structured school day divided into three parts — recorded lessons, live sessions, and independent student work — designed so the school would not simply be a replica of the physical classroom.

"We have made sure that the school day involves brainstorming activities, icebreaker activities with new class teachers, and an explanation of how research work will be carried out, so that we reduce screen time while keeping students engaged," she said.

According to her, KG 1 students proved to be the most energetic participants of all. "They were very happy, sitting in front of the screen and doing physical exercises with their teachers," Nasim said. She noted that the sessions produced a mix of reactions from the youngest learners; some enthusiastic, others in tears, with parents sitting close by to help them settle in.

With more than 150 new KG 1 students on roll, Nasim said she wanted every one of them to feel personally welcomed. Unable to address all 1,000 students in the school individually, she recorded a special video message from her apartment and sent it to the students through the school's learning management system.

"It is very important on the first day that you welcome your students," she said.

Distance learning will continue in UAE schools till April 17 amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war that has led to regional tensions.