The Ministry of Education and the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA), UAE, announced new updates to the National Protocol for Educational Establishments for the Academic Year 2021-2022 in coordination with all partners, which came into force on Thursday, April 21, 2022.
The updated protocol permits educational institutions to continue conducting activities and events. It also allows parents to be a part of student activities and events.
But they must comply with preventive measures, including wearing facemasks in closed spaces and the Green Pass Protocol on the Al Hosn app.
The update also allows the educational organizations to plan school trips with the requirement of wearing facemasks while on school buses.
Vaccinated and unvaccinated staff and students will be allowed to go on such trips, but they must have green status on their Al Hosn app.
As per the updated protocol, every student must conduct a PCR test every month, to be able to enter the campus or to follow the Green Pass Protocol for vaccinated and unvaccinated students.
Under the new updates, following the Green Pass Protocol will be mandatory for all who wish to visit the educational establishments, students aged 16 and above, educational staff, and personnel.
Students under 16 have to conduct a PCR test every month.
The updates also state that the educational institutions should be closed if there is a spread of Covid-19. This closure of institutions shall be as per the guidelines issued by local emergency and crisis committees and teams in each emirate.
In case of the spread of the virus, the educational establishments will be closed for three days if the infection rate exceeds 15 per cent of the total attendance.
It is important to note that, as per the updated protocol, those who come into contact with COVID-19 positive cases are no longer required to quarantine themselves.
But they must follow the guidelines issued by the health authorities as per the National Protocol for COVID-19 Close-Contact.
Furthermore, those infected and those with respiratory diseases may opt for the option of distance education.
The Ministry of Education and NCEMA noted that all the updates would be applied to the entire country. The protocol implementation will be carried out in different parts of the country for the local emergencies and crises and under the administration of disasters committees in each emirate.
Also, the Ministry and NCEMA stated that these protocols could be altered as per the changes occurring in the local and global health standards.
The Ministry and NCEMA urged all public members to cooperate and follow all preventive measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
This step supports the UAE’s strategy for ensuring community health and safety. It provides a safe environment for students for them to return to educational establishments.
Also, it supports national efforts to achieve to get back to the normalcy of the pre-pandemic period.
