School closed because of rain in Dubai? You may have classes on weekends

Some Dubai schools are calling students in on weekends and others are holding virtual classes to make up for days lost because of the recent spell of rain.

Schools in the emirate are required to make up for the days they have lost because of the rains, according to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority. Many academic institutions all over the UAE shut down because of the flooding caused by the rains this past week.

One school in Dubai has asked its students to come in on a Saturday to catch up on schoolwork.

"Please note that Saturday, January 18 2020, will be a working day. for students of Grades I-XI and XI in lieu of Sunday, January 12, 2020, which was declared a holiday owing to inclement weather," a circular by an Indian-curriculum school said.

Other schools are working towards implementing online learning tools, so students stay on track despite off days during rough weather conditions.

Casey Cosgray, principal at Al-Mizhar American Academy, said: "We are developing an online learning platform so that learning can continue if and when students are not in school. This program would be enacted for days such as Sunday when the school is closed for safety reasons. Teachers will upload engaging learning activities on our online platform which can be completed at home.

"The activities will be directly correlated to the current learning. Therefore, learning continues even when the students are not in school. Teachers will make themselves available online to help and support students as needed. This program will be multi-functional as it will also be used for students when there is an occasional absence."

Another school offers options to students between choosing virtual classes or learning tools during and outside of the school day.

"We use our virtual learning platforms to support our students' learning, if they are unable to get to school or if the school is closed due to unforeseen circumstances," Maryssa O'Connor, Principal and CEO of GEMS Wellington International School, said. "We also offer a wide range of learning interventions during and outside of the school day to ensure every student achieves their best."

"In addition our amazing teachers always adapt their lessons to ensure that there are no gaps in the curriculum provision across the school."

Parents are urging more schools to adopt online learning tools to provide convenience to parents and students.

One parent, Farha Shafeeq, said her child's school has a no-homework policy and the teachers will allow students to use online resources during class or at home to make up for the recent lost days.

"I think calling in students on a weekend is a bad idea because the bus services probably won't be working and it's inconvenient for parents also, as some of them have work," she said. "If its younger kids, they should be given online resources or they can use their library time to catch up."

sarwat@khaleejtimes.com