UAE schools urge parents to stay updated during summer break

 As the summer vacation begins for administrative and teaching staff, public schools across the UAE have sent messages to parents urging them to continue monitoring the school’s official communication channels. This is to ensure they remain informed about any updates that may be issued during the break, whether by school administrations or the Ministry of Education.

Several school administrations emphasized that official communication channels will remain the primary means of conveying any updates or new decisions to the school community. They confirmed they will publish any instructions or directives received from the Ministry, even during the absence of school staff.

Schools also reminded parents that they can access their children’s academic results—particularly for students taking re-sit exams—through the student’s account on the Ministry of Education’s electronic portal. Results will be published gradually as they are officially approved.

School administrations also advised parents to purchase the school uniform for the upcoming academic year as early as possible. The Ministry has ensured that adequate stock in all sizes is available through official outlets. However, last-minute shopping may lead to shortages in certain sizes or cause unnecessary crowding.

Schools stressed the importance of purchasing uniforms only from approved suppliers to avoid obtaining non-compliant attire that does not meet the Ministry’s standards.

They emphasized that early preparation for the new school year reduces the burden on families and helps students begin the academic year in an organized manner. Parents were also advised to verify all information related to school supplies and uniforms through official channels only.

In closing their messages, schools expressed their gratitude and appreciation to parents for their continued support throughout the school year.

In Abu Dhabi, private schools have instructed teachers to remove any students or parents from their personal social media accounts, refrain from accepting follow or contact requests, and avoid communicating with them via messaging apps. Teachers are also prohibited from identifying themselves as affiliated with the school on personal social media accounts, and from using personal email addresses to communicate with students or parents.

Officials from private schools stated that the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), under its new digital policy for schools, has outlined the basic requirements for developing and implementing a digital strategy. This strategy includes integrating digital safety into teaching and learning processes and ensuring the safe use of digital technologies. Schools will be required to comply with the policy at the start of the 2025–2026 academic year.

ADEK warned that failure to comply may result in legal accountability and the imposition of penalties in accordance with regulations and policies.

Ten obligations for teachers when publishing content on social media

The new policy outlines ten key obligations for teachers and staff, including:

Additional obligations include assuming that all content posted on these accounts—including reviews and online comments—is public and searchable, regardless of privacy settings. Teachers must behave professionally and ensure shared content is appropriate, aligns with school cultural sensitivity policies, and does not constitute bullying, harassment, discrimination, or intimidation in accordance with the school’s values and ethics policy.

They must also ensure that the content does not appear to be endorsed by the school and must not share any confidential school-related information via personal accounts. Furthermore, faculty members have been reminded that they are not authorized to use personal email addresses to communicate with students or parents.

ADEK has mandated that private schools develop a response and business continuity plan in the event of a cybersecurity breach. Schools are also required to implement a data protection policy, ensure the secure handling of personal information, and monitor both official and unofficial school communication channels, including newsletters, social media, and parent communication groups.