The Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management Committee in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has approved the return to in-person learning in schools for all students for the 2021-2022 academic year. This decision came after coordination and consultations with parents, teachers, school administrators, and school operators conducted in May and June of this year. The committee also made this decision after more than 80% of the teaching staff and school workforce, including maintenance and security teams, had been vaccinated.
The safe return to schools is a pivotal part of Abu Dhabi’s long-term strategy for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring community safety and health as a top priority, and it reflects the emirate's success in managing the pandemic and its impacts so far.
The strategy for the safe return to schools aligns with the highest international practices and takes into account the recommendations and opinions of all parties in the educational system, including the school community, health authorities, the Department of Education and Knowledge, and all relevant government entities.
Her Excellency Sara Awad Issa Muslim, Head of the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, stated, “The pandemic has shown the resilience of parents, teachers, and school staff, who collaborated closely and made every effort to ensure our children receive the best possible education in light of the challenges posed by the pandemic; they have been a model of sacrifice and heroism.”
She added, “We would like to thank the Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management Committee in Abu Dhabi for its commitment to planning for the 2021-2022 academic year in collaboration and coordination with all stakeholders in the educational system from students and parents to the teaching staff and school operators. We recognize that remote learning is not a permanent substitute for in-person schooling; however, it was essential to ensure everyone’s comfort and readiness to return to school.”
As part of the consultations preceding the committee's decision, the Department of Education and Knowledge conducted an independent survey to gauge parents’ opinions on reopening schools to assist in making the best decision for the upcoming academic year. Over 117,000 parents participated in the survey, representing more than 230,000 students, including citizens and residents.
Approximately 70% of parents prefer their children to return to in-person learning in their schools, and 88% of them indicated that in-person learning is more beneficial for their children.
The survey also revealed that parents believe vaccination will enhance their confidence in the safety of their children returning to school. The Pfizer vaccine is currently available for children aged 12 and above, and a supplemental study has recently been launched to assess the immune response to the Sinopharm vaccine for children aged 3 to 17, coinciding with the emirate's plans to extend vaccination to children in the near future.
The survey also indicated parents' satisfaction with reducing the physical distancing measures in schools, which will allow for an increase in the number of days students attend school during the academic week.
The Emergency, Crisis, and Disaster Management Committee emphasized the importance of coordination between the emirate's schools and the Department of Education and Knowledge to ensure that schools are fully prepared to welcome students from all educational stages at the beginning of the new academic year.
The Department of Education and Knowledge will continue to work with the educational community and health authorities to update the protocol for reopening schools soon, with the school management protocol related to the COVID-19 pandemic to be published on August 15, 2021.
The committee also approved the option of remote learning for parents who prefer this option if it is available from their child's school. It noted that it will continue to monitor and evaluate the in-person learning system in schools to ensure the ongoing health and safety of the school community, relying on the combined efforts of all and their continuous commitment to following the necessary preventive and precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of students and all teaching and school staff.
