At the end of a long summer break, it is normal for pupils to admit that they are rather looking forward to going back to school. This month, though, it is not simply a matter of looking forward to it. In the case of my teenage daughter, it has become a scarcely concealed desperation to return.
When I brought home news of a survey I had received from the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, about whether as a parent I preferred schooling to restart with continued online learning or with an option of blended learning – some online and some at school – her response was immediate: “Blended, blended…”
That’s partly because she’s looking forward to engaging with others of her own age again, even though she’s due to start at a new school. We’ve adhered pretty strictly to social-distancing guidelines so for months she’s seen virtually none of her friends, except online. She’s also looking forward to getting back to her studies and interacting with teachers again. Perhaps, to be honest, she’s also getting a little tired of housework.
With a little over two weeks to go before the new school year begins, however it is structured, I hope that some of that enthusiasm to get back to work survives for the teachers.
For both sets, pupils and teachers, it has been a difficult time since schools closed their doors in March. Even as most worked hard to adjust to online learning, there will be a long-lasting impact on the education of a generation.
It is not just a matter of being able to engage with teachers. Working alongside in person and competing with classmates is important as well. For some, of course, before going back to school there is still the nervous wait for results of the assessments by external examiners that are replacing the conventional exams.
The government's approach has been to keep children out of school to prevent the spread of Covid-19. In the early weeks, with thousands of cases, that was a sensible approach. Now, however, the number of new cases recorded daily is trending downwards so the gradual return makes sense, especially given the preparations and safety measures schools have put in place.
In my other home of Jersey, schools reopened in June before shutting again late last month for summer holidays, as the number of cases was small and under control. A virtual lockdown on visitors to the island was adopted early on. In announcing the reopening of schools, Jersey's Government said: "The risks to the health, welfare and education of our children from a continued absence from school now outweigh the risks from Covid-19."
Here in the UAE, we’re not quite at the point to be able to adopt the same approach but we’re getting there.
I am a great believer in the saying "a healthy mind in a healthy body". In education, physical exercise is a key part of both mental and psychological well-being
It is worth noting, though, the consideration given in Jersey to the health and welfare of students as well as to their education.
Amongst those families who have adhered to the UAE’s distancing regulations and guidelines, children will have missed the socialising that is a part of growing up. Very young children may have to learn all over again how to settle into a school environment. Older ones may have spent too much time glued to the television or worse, to social media, picking up all sorts of ideas that benefit neither their health nor their welfare.
I am a great believer in the saying “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. In education, physical exercise is a key part of both mental and psychological well-being. But perhaps only few will have played any sport over the summer. Physical fitness is likely to be at a low ebb.
As we look forward to schools reopening, even on a “blended” basis, I hope that due recognition will be given to the fact that it is going to be hard for pupils to settle down to the normal process of learning again. Many will have fallen behind, even in those schools that have excelled in providing online learning. Catching up may take time. Some may need to take a few steps backwards and then start to move forward again.
Parents will have faced their own challenges over the past few months. Virtually everyone's lifestyle will have changed, even among those who have retained their jobs. As imposing as those hurdles have been and continue to be, I hope that we can all remember that our children have faced unaccustomed challenges as well. They, too, might need a bit of time as they return to non-virtual classrooms and something resembling normal education.
Peter Hellyer is a consultant specialising in the UAE's history and culture
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
THE%20SPECS
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Bombshell
Director: Jay Roach
Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5
Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Brief scores:
Toss: Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi, chose to field
Environment Agency: 193-3 (20 ov)
Ikhlaq 76 not out, Khaliya 58, Ahsan 55
Pakhtunkhwa Zalmi: 194-2 (18.3 ov)
Afridi 95 not out, Sajid 55, Rizwan 36 not out
Result: Pakhtunkhwa won by 8 wickets
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
How being social media savvy can improve your well being
Next time when procastinating online remember that you can save thousands on paying for a personal trainer and a gym membership simply by watching YouTube videos and keeping up with the latest health tips and trends.
As social media apps are becoming more and more consumed by health experts and nutritionists who are using it to awareness and encourage patients to engage in physical activity.
Elizabeth Watson, a personal trainer from Stay Fit gym in Abu Dhabi suggests that “individuals can use social media as a means of keeping fit, there are a lot of great exercises you can do and train from experts at home just by watching videos on YouTube”.
Norlyn Torrena, a clinical nutritionist from Burjeel Hospital advises her clients to be more technologically active “most of my clients are so engaged with their phones that I advise them to download applications that offer health related services”.
Torrena said that “most people believe that dieting and keeping fit is boring”.
However, by using social media apps keeping fit means that people are “modern and are kept up to date with the latest heath tips and trends”.
“It can be a guide to a healthy lifestyle and exercise if used in the correct way, so I really encourage my clients to download health applications” said Mrs Torrena.
People can also connect with each other and exchange “tips and notes, it’s extremely healthy and fun”.
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The specs: Audi e-tron
Price, base: From Dh325,000 (estimate)
Engine: Twin electric motors and 95kWh battery pack
Transmission: Single-speed auto
Power: 408hp
Torque: 664Nm
Range: 400 kilometres
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
