Hazza Al Mansouri, Official Spokesman of the UAE’s Education Sector, today announced an update to the national protocol for the running of educational establishments during the 2022-2023 academic year.
The update aims to ensure the safety of students and the educational community, and protect the country’s major successes in addressing the #COVID-19 pandemic, he added.
During the media briefing, Al Mansouri said that the country is preparing for the start of the 2022-2023 academic year, and over one million students and 65,000 teaching staff will return to school after the necessary preparations for their safe return are completed.
He thanked the UAE’s leadership for harnessing all efforts to ensure the safety of students and employees in education establishments, as part of its keenness to resume the education process, in coordination with relevant authorities.
He also noted that the protocol for the running of educational establishments during the 2022-2023 academic year has been updated, to ensure the safety of students and the educational community and protect the country’s major successes in addressing the #COVID-19 pandemic.
- Students aged 12 and over, and teaching and administrative staff and services providers, must provide a negative test result from a PCR test conducted within 96 hours on the first day of school, but without the need for regular testing.
- All students can attend classes regardless of their vaccination status, while university students who are unvaccinated for medical reasons and those with vaccination exemption can present the PCR tests required for the green pass system on the Al Hosn app to enter the university premises.
"Checking the temperatures of students and employees is no longer necessary, provided that anyone with a high temperature does not attend classes, goes on sick leave, and gets tested to ensure that they do not have COVID-19. Social distancing inside facilities is also no longer mandatory but has been left to the discretion of each facility, including on buses,"
he said.
- Wearing face masks is mandatory inside closed areas, and e-learning and remote work options for students and personnel who have contracted COVID-19 or those suffering from respiratory system symptoms is now allowed, he noted.
"We have noticed the significant cooperation between relevant authorities to support the national efforts, enhancing our readiness to address all related repercussions with professionalism,"
Al Mansouri added.
"The UAE community must help protect the country’s achievements and promote the principle of self-responsibility among students,"
he further added, urging parents and teaching staff to adhere to all preventive measures and raise the awareness of students about them, to support the recovery efforts.
He also thanked the educational community and Emirati citizens and residents for their commitment since the start of the pandemic, which enabled the UAE to better address its repercussions, due to the community’s cohesion and under the close monitoring of relevant authorities and the country’s leadership.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
