Hundreds of thousands of pupils across the UAE are beginning their new school year on Monday, and will be expected to follow the latest Covid-19 safety rules announced by the government last week.
The announcement by the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority will also affect teachers and staff members.
Here are the latest rules that parents and teachers need to know now first day of the new term has begun.
Who needs a PCR test to go back to school?
Pupils aged 12 and over, teaching and administrative staff, and service providers at government schools must have obtained a negative PCR test result no more than 96 hours before the start of the new school year, officials said last week.
However, periodic tests will not be required as the UAE adopted a symptom-only strategy last term.
Do children have to wear a face mask at school?
Face masks are no longer required outdoors but are compulsory indoors.
Is remote learning an option?
The option to learn and work remotely is available for pupils and staff who are infected with Covid-19, as well as anyone with respiratory symptoms.
A PCR test will confirm whether these symptoms are caused by the coronavirus.
Can unvaccinated children attend school?
All pupils can attend government schools in person, including those have not been vaccinated for health reasons or are excluded from vaccination.
Anyone entering university campuses who is not vaccinated for health reasons or who is excluded from vaccination will need to show a green status on Al Hosn smartphone app.
Is social distancing still needed?
Compulsory social distancing protocols inside educational campuses have been cancelled. Instead, such restrictions are being left to the discretion of each institution — including arrangements inside school buses.
Thermal screening of pupils and employees has also been ended.
What about private schools?
Private school regulators in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have not announced their guidelines for the coming school year.
Under the current rules, private school pupils in Dubai will not be asked to take PCR tests before returning to the classroom if they have travelled outside the country.
The Knowledge and Development Authority’s last updated guidelines state that there are no testing requirements.
However, caution is advised when travelling abroad, and any child showing Covid-19 symptoms should stay at home and take a PCR test.
Pupils and staff who are close contacts of a person infected with the coronavirus but do not have any symptoms will not need to isolate and can attend school.
In Abu Dhabi, pupils and staff need to maintain a green status on Al Hosn smartphone app.
The pass will stay green for 14 days after a negative test for vaccinated pupils aged 16 and older, teachers and other staff, and 30 days for under-16s.
All pupils must be free of any coronavirus-related symptoms and maintain their green status on Al Hosn app, in accordance with their age category.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
RESULTS: 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING - EUROPE
Albania 0 Italy 1
Finland 2 Turkey 2
Macedonia 4 Liechtenstein
Iceland 2 Kosovo 0
Israel 0 Spain 1
Moldova 0 Austria 1
Serbia 1 Georgia 0
Ukraine 0 Croatia 2
Wales 0 Ireland 1
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The biog
Name: Greg Heinricks
From: Alberta, western Canada
Record fish: 56kg sailfish
Member of: International Game Fish Association
Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters
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MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Men’s singles
Group A: Son Wan-ho (Kor), Lee Chong Wei (Mas), Ng Long Angus (HK), Chen Long (Chn)
Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)
Women’s Singles
Group A: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), Pusarla Sindhu (Ind), Sayaka Sato (Jpn), He Bingjiao (Chn)
Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)
