With students who are concerned about the dangers of the first ... and the effects of the second ... they are demanding a third model
Private schools in Abu Dhabi: "full attendance" or "complete absence"
Schools have confirmed that preventive measures will not succeed without the support of students' families. From the source
Private schools in Abu Dhabi announced the implementation of a full-time system during the next academic year, confirming that they would provide the necessary precautions to avoid the outbreak of the new Corona virus (Covid-19) among students.
It left students with the option to bring their children to school every day, or to make full use of the distance education system, restricting their options to two of the models that the Department of Education and Knowledge specified for the new school year.
The parents of the students expressed their objection to the exclusion of other options, noting that they guarantee their children to study in a safer educational environment.
They explained that opening the doors of schools to receive students, according to the traditional model, raises concerns due to lack of regard for physical distancing. It also pushes the apprehensive people to keep their children at home throughout the semester, which negatively affects their communication with their surroundings, and leaves negative psychological effects on their behavior.
In detail, private schools in Abu Dhabi sent letters to students' families via e-mail, asking them to choose between two educational models, namely the “return to full-time” model, so that the student would regularly attend school as the case before the emergence of the “Covid-19” virus, or a form. Completely "remote education", whereby the student can receive his education via the Internet, indicating that not selecting the option on time will be considered approval of choosing the distance education model.
In their letters to students 'parents, school administrations confirmed that they chose the full-time model based on a questionnaire of students' parents, noting that they were able to develop comprehensive risk assessment plans in order to be able to reopen the school completely.
She added that she has allocated teams, during the summer vacation, to work on equipping schools, to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations imposed by the Department of Education and Knowledge for the safety of students and employees, noting that safety measures are fully followed, including thermal gates, isolation rooms, and the provision of sterilization materials in classrooms. Scholastic.
The schools deemed the full-time option the best for the mental, physical and academic health of students.
She emphasized that the procedures that will follow will not succeed if she does not have the full support of the students' parents, because she depends on them to educate their children about safety measures and adhere to the precautionary measures, and provide them with medical masks and special educational tools, so that they can continue their education in school.
On the other hand, the relatives of students, Muhammad Abdulaziz, Muhammad Al-Sadd, Wael Saad, Manar Al-Sahtri, Yara Abdul-Mohsen, Amani Abdullah and Faryal Naim, confirmed to “Emirates Today” that they are affected by the restriction of their children's schools to education options in the “full time” or “complete absence” models. About the school, as they described them, pointing out that the schools put them before two options, each of which has its detriments.
And they said that consenting to full time means acceptance of placing children at risk, and the possibility of infection due to the large number of students, and the convergence of distances between them. As for the option of distance education, it would deprive them of the benefits of direct education, social communication skills, and teamwork.
The relatives of students, Osama Gad, Hazem Ramadan, Muhammad Tariq and Maha Mahmoud, confirmed the rejection of the two systems, and their request to the school to replace the full-time system with the rotation models of weeks or days, so that the school could divide students into groups, to reduce the density of classrooms, and to maintain distances between students. .
On the other hand, officials and teachers in private schools that decided to implement full time, Hussein Al-Ahmadi, Nadia Allam, Kholoud Samir and His Excellency Abdulaziz, stated that the decision to implement full time in their schools is due to the choice of the largest proportion of students' parents according to the results of the return to study questionnaire that was implemented in July The past, pointing out that most of the families in which the father and mother work have chosen full-time, given that there is no one to take care of children in their absence.
They added that the return of employees to their work hours contradicts the application of distance education, or hybrid education models and alternating education, so the majority preferred full school time, pointing out that the Department of Education and Knowledge has added the option of distance education now to allow for those who have concerns about their children attending schools in Providing an educational model that eliminates their fears.
The students' families pointed out that the density of the kindergarten and first cycle classes ranged between 25 and 30 students, and five students sat on one table, and the distance between each student and the other did not exceed 30 cm.
In the event that the full-time model is chosen, as the school administrations mentioned in their messages, the school will not be able to provide the requirement of physical separation between each student and another with a distance of not less than 1.5 meters.
For its part, the Department of Education and Knowledge confirmed that the classroom space and the distribution of students will most likely witness the division of the class into two groups, or more, to implement the procedures of spacing and reduce friction and mixing with others.
She added, "Each child will remain in this group until the end of the (Covid-19) stage."
And she continued: “There is no maximum number of students in each class, but the number should be small, so that each student can hear the teacher clearly and participate effectively in the class. In the event that the child uses the school bus, he will be part of a fixed group, dedicated to buses (the bus group), to reduce his mixing with other children.
The department indicated that students will have to adhere to the procedures of spacing 1.5 meters apart at all times. It is also possible that children in Kindergarten and lower grades of the first cycle, who find it difficult to implement social distancing measures, be distributed into groups of up to 10 people per group.
6 procedures
The Department of Education and Knowledge has set six daily procedures for health and hygiene, as part of the requirements for reopening private schools for the next academic year, including: a thorough cleaning and disinfection of their facilities once a day, providing places for washing or sterilizing hands in different locations of school buildings and on board school buses, and containing classrooms On sterilization wipes, hand sanitizer and a closed waste bin, to ensure hygiene is maintained, and clean and disinfect frequently used surfaces, such as light switches, door handles, stairs and toilet seats every hour, and clean and sterilize toilets every hour, in addition to providing schools with a certified nurse or medical specialist present in The school, and a quarantine room for students and staff, who suffer a sudden onset of symptoms (Covid-19).
She indicated that parents are not allowed to enter the school building, unless the child is of people of determination.
School administrations confirmed the choice of full time based on a questionnaire of students' parents.
Schools set aside teams during the summer vacation to work on preparing classes.