Coronavirus: UAE parents may switch to e-learning for kids if Covid-19 cases keep rising

With a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases, parents who have sent their children to schools said they would switch to e-learning if the situation worsens.
Divisha Modi, whose son is in KG2, is confident about the safety measures put in place at his school. "We are at risk of contracting the virus from anywhere and taking all precautionary measures is a joint responsibility. I have been sending my child to school since Sunday and so far I am fine with it. Our children (have been put) ... in stable groups or bubbles.
"I don't think the rise in cases is related to opening of schools. There could be other reasons like people not following protocols strictly."
According to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), parents can request schools for a change in the mode of learning and schools then decide on a case-by-case basis.
Another parent, Arijit Nandi, said: "As a parent, it's a difficult decision whether to opt for distance or on-site learning during a pandemic situation. I felt sending my child to school is a better option for an enhanced learning experience. In virtual classes, there is limited live teaching for younger kids who have short attention spans. These are the drawbacks of online learning."
He said they will be "compelled" to switch to e-learning if cases keep rising. "But so far, I am not too perturbed as schools are trying their best to provide a safe learning environment for all its students and staff."
Parents who opted for e-learning feel it's safer to stick to the mode till a solution to the pandemic is found.
"Even though I am not content with the decision to go completely online, I think it is the most rational option, given the spike in cases. I would rather ensure the safety of my child than a little lag in a few learning milestones. They can catch up later and I am most certain the schools will facilitate this," said Anuradha Chakraborty whose daughter is a Grade 11 student.
Filipino mother Cirsel Ferrer Kaul said she was "never comfortable" sending her 12-year-old to school amid the pandemic. "Therefore, we had opted for online schooling at the very outset. That's a much better option at the moment as we've stayed vigilant throughout the outbreak and do not want to expose our child to so many outsiders. With cases swelling again, I feel our decision was right."
Mother of two school-going children Puja Gandhi said: "My children have opted for distance learning and in hindsight it seems to have been the best decision."
nandini@khaleejtimes.com