When you are back to school, you are back to life. That is was what Dr Abdulla Al Karam, director general of Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority said as he spoke last week about the importance of "celebrating the human side of the schools reopening."
As parents of the over 300,000 children going back to school this week prepare young students for this extraordinary return, schools are also preparing for the challenge of having a portion of pupils be present in class and others not. It places huge stress on the system and is much more difficult to co-ordinate a hybrid system than if everyone was either in the classroom or learning from home. Despite numerous safety precautions – including the testing of more than 15,000 teachers and staff across 205 private schools and over 56,000 tests in the capital before pupils return to the classroom – parents can have their children stay home and study virtually if they are not at ease yet sending them back to school. This flexibility in hybrid teaching or blended learning is no easy managerial task.
Before schools go back in session tomorrow, we should reflect on exactly how arduous it is for schools to deliver the high standards of education expected of them while at the same time enforcing social distancing, regular temperature checks, and the round-the-clock sanitisation and hygiene checks that by now have become the norm for many of us.
Despite the frustrations of parents keeping up with frequent changes in protocol, it is important to bear in mind that schools are working on the best advice and events as they develop. It is also an incredible challenge for schools to keep up with enforcing revised guidelines as new facts come to light on ways to deliver a better teaching experience while at the same time keeping classrooms safe.
However, while reopening schools under these conditions is an extraordinarily demanding undertaking, it is the right thing to do. Pupils have been under tremendous stress. They need to resume their education in contexts as familiar to them as possible. It is essential for their overall health and well-being. They need to see their teachers, their classmates and friends, and swap stories and updates in person about these past few months.
The success of schools reopening then comes down a great deal to individual responsibility and adhering to these guidelines
Under these trying conditions, educators are doing their best. Schools have been effective at communication, repeatedly assuring parents via emails of all the measures being taken to keep their children safe. Health risks are being assessed and kept in check and the ripple effect of even as little as two infections are systematically calculated in the clearly established guidelines.
Protocols are updated in keeping with the most stringent health guidelines. The success of schools reopening then comes down a great deal to individual responsibility and adhering to these guidelines. Parents, teachers, administrators and pupils must co-operate and together work to make a success of this new academic year.
No doubt there will be instances of teething problems and strain adjusting to this new method of schooling, for all concerned. It becomes then even more imperative for all those who make up the education system to be patient while pupils settle in.
As a whole generation enters a second academic year in a world still battling a pandemic, everyone affected by the reopening of schools needs to call upon their resolve and fortitude to brace this unusual regimen for learning.
It is, as Dr Abdulla Al Karam said, an exciting time. And with all the safety measures that are in place, we should welcome this important new phase and lend our support and co-operation to parents, children and educators. It may not be a regular back-to-school year, but it will be a defining one.
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Virtual banks explained
What is a virtual bank?
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.
What’s the draw in Asia?
Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.
Is Hong Kong short of banks?
No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The view from The National
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
Afghanistan fixtures
- v Australia, today
- v Sri Lanka, Tuesday
- v New Zealand, Saturday,
- v South Africa, June 15
- v England, June 18
- v India, June 22
- v Bangladesh, June 24
- v Pakistan, June 29
- v West Indies, July 4
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
