Latest: How would parents and employers manage e-learning until 2021?
Schools across the UAE are preparing for e-learning to continue in September and potentially into next year.
Headteachers said they anticipated a mix of in-school classes and home learning in the first term of the 2020-21 academic year, but await an official decision from the government.
Taaleem and Gems Education, the country's two largest private school groups, have begun preparing for a "blended" model that would see groups of pupils study at home and in school at different times of day.
On Sunday, the Ministry of Education said the end of e-learning and reopening of schools was "still under review" and would depend on ongoing efforts to combat the coronavirus.
Earlier, a senior official told an audience that authorities were looking at three scenarios for future schooling nationwide.
Everyone is looking to the totality of the curriculum reappearing in January 2021.
Speaking at a majlis event on Friday, Fawzia Gharib, assistant undersecretary at the ministry, said one scenario was that e-learning from home would continue to account for 100 per cent of lessons.
The other two scenarios were based on a gradual return to classes - but neither had pupils in school classrooms 100 per cent of the time.
Under the best case scenario, and with the Covid-19 outbreak under control, pupils would do 70 per cent of their study in school and 30 per cent at home.
She anticipated about six months of this "transitional stage" before classes return to normal.
The ministry later stressed that "any decision for the academic year 2020-2021 is still under review and will be taken based on the health situation and precautionary measures".
Since March, schools have used a combination of home assignments and live, online lessons with teachers to keep pupils up to date with their curriculum.
Last week, the government said all schools would be inspected this month to determine if e-learning was working and where their strengths and weaknesses lay.
Many headteachers said the exercise was a chance to step back and evaluate the past few months, but urged inspectors to understand the pressure that pupils, parents and teachers were under.
Temperature checks, masks and classes in gym halls
Alan Williamson, chief executive officer of Taaleem, which operates 13 schools in the UAE, said online learning would continue in some form into the 2020-2021 academic year.
"We will open in September but blended learning is likely to continue. A majority of schools will open to a majority of pupils," Mr Williamson told The National on Sunday.
"Schools have been discussing the 70/30 option where schools will be open to 70 per cent of pupils at any point of time,"
"Everyone is looking to the totality of the curriculum reappearing in January 2021."
Another possibility is that pupils will spend 70 per cent of their time at school, and 30 per cent of their time studying online.
"This will look different in different year groups as senior pupils will social distance automatically but kindergarten pupils may find that more difficult," he said.
One of the scenarios Taaleem is considering looks at different grades attending schools at different times of the day.
Senior pupils would likely need to be in school for fewer hours than primary school pupils.
“We could shorten the school day and open in September to Ramadan timings for a few months until we know what is happening. It’s all about flattening the curve. By August, we will have a clear position on where the UAE stands," said Mr Williamson.
When schools reopen, extracurricular activities may be restricted.
"It would be good if authorities allow private schools to set the parameters," he said.
If schools are open with reduced timings, this would allow parents to have a few hours a day to resume work.
“We are conscious of the impact on parents which is why we took an early decision to discount fees. Parents need to go back to work," he said.
“The rest of the world is opening schools and I would be surprised if the Ministry of Education takes a line that is different.
"I am looking at reducing class sizes and we could spread out classes in gym halls if required."
He said Taaleem schools were planning to check the temperature of pupils and teachers each day, and that face masks would be worn in class, if required by the education ministry.
Staggered start times and half days for pupils
Jodh Singh Dhesi, deputy chief education officer at Gems Education, which runs 45 schools in UAE, said the school day could look quite different in the short-term.
“Our planning is looking at two areas: health and safety, and provision of learning," he said.
"In terms of the former, we are modelling scenarios involving start times, staggering, social distancing and health monitoring, while also ensuring that our facilities meet the highest standards from an infrastructure, maintenance and hygiene perspective.
"In terms of the latter, we are looking at models for modifying our current remote learning provision to a more blended approach, with groups of students studying both at home and in school at different times."
He said Gems had set up a task force to review a range of scenarios and monitor international research on how schools have re-opened elsewhere
"We look forward to receiving advice from the regulator around what the situation will look like in four months’ time," he added.
Indian repatriation flights - in pictures
PRISCILLA
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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
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How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
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
EU Russia
The EU imports 90 per cent of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40 per cent of EU gas and a quarter of its oil.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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THE POPE'S ITINERARY
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
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