Coronavirus: Dubai's private school pupils will return to classrooms next week


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Private school pupils in Dubai will be permitted to return to classrooms for the start of the new term next week, officials confirmed.

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority - the emirate's private education regulator - said schools would be open "as usual" in a post on its Twitter account.

"As with the first term of this academic year, parents continue to have the choice of face-to-face or distance learning for their children," the post stated.

The announcement came just hours after it was revealed private and public school pupils in Abu Dhabi would continue distance learning for the first two weeks of term.

The second term of the academic year begins on January 3, 2021. Pupils were set for a full return to classrooms.

Schools across the country closed their doors in March and and switched to distance learning as part of efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus.

On Wednesday, the Abu Dhabi Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Committee, in co-ordination with Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, announced that remote learning would be implemented for the first two weeks "to protect the health and safety of students, teachers and school staff."

Abu Dhabi's private school pupils in years seven to nine – or from about the age of 11 to 14 – were due to resume in-person lessons for the first time since early March as part of the emirate's staggered return to classrooms for its pupils.

Tens of thousands of pupils returned to classrooms in Dubai at the end of August, with parents also having the option of continuing remote learning.

Thanks for your messages - private schools in Dubai are not affected by the recent announcement & will be open as ‘usual’ next week.

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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

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