Children aged 16 and above in the UAE must be vaccinated to return to school after the summer, the Ministry of Education said on Monday.
Pupils in Dubai, which has its own crisis authority and whose private schools are regulated by a separate education body, are not affected by the decision.
Officials urged pupils to sign up for doses as soon as possible to avoid delays in getting back to classes.
The decision follows an announcement in June that Abu Dhabi would require all over 16s to be vaccinated to enter many public places, including schools.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health and Prevention approved the Sinopharm vaccine for children between 3 and 17. As with other countries, the vaccine remains voluntary for all age groups.
The approval follows a successful trial involving 900 children in Abu Dhabi.
