Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee has approved the gradual return to in-classroom learning for students at public and private schools, universities, colleges and training institutes in the emirate, as of Monday, 24 January, 2022.
The committee also approved protocols for returning to classrooms, and stated that existing precautionary measures continue to apply, to protect the health and safety of the education community.
A negative PCR test conducted within 96 hours is required from students on the first day of returning to school, and then every two weeks. Parents are required to provide a negative PCR test within the last 96 hours to be allowed to enter educational facilities.
The update was announced by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) during its weekly media briefing on Wednesday.
The first group, which includes pupils in kindergarten and grade 1-5, and students following the UK curriculum in grade 12 and 13, will resume in-person learning from January 24.
Pupils in the remaining grades and those following other educational curriculums will return to in-person learning from January 31.
School trips will be suspended until further notice while in-school sports and cultural sports will continue to be held under precautionary measures. .
Higher education institutions
The first group also includes higher education institutions, with the green pass system is in place to ensure everyone’s health and safety.
Pupils in the remaining grades and those following other educational curriculums will return to in-person learning from January 31.
The ministry announced that the decision was issued after close monitoring of the pandemic to facilitate the safe return of students, teachers and administrative staff to educational facilities and protect their health and safety,” Hazza Al Mansouri, the official spokesperson of the UAE Education Sector, said.
The efforts by the UAE health sector continue to provide a healthy and preventive environment for community members. "The UAE has set an agile and carefully studied model on how to deal with COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic. The government and private organisations' efforts continue to ensure providing a healthy and preventive environment for community members," the official spokesperson of the UAE Health Sector said.
