Dubai and Sharjah school regulators confirm in-person learning will resume on January 3

Extra-curricular activities and school trips in the private schools of both emirates to be cancelled for the first two weeks of the term

Staff cleaning the play area at Brighton College Dubai. Pawan Singh/The National

Brighton College Dubai in Al Barsha South started a cleaning drive in preparation for the new school year.

Thermal cameras have been installed at the entrance at Brighton College Dubai.

Simon Crane, headmaster at Brighton College Dubai, shows visitors being scanned by the thermal camera installed at the entrance.

Cleaning staff disinfecting the play area.

No entry without mask stickers are pasted outside classrooms at Brighton College Dubai.

Simon Crane, Head Master at Brighton College Dubai, is overseeing the cleaning drive before the new academic year.

Staff cleaning the doors, classrooms and corridors at Brighton College Dubai.

No entry without mask stickers pasted outside the classrooms of Brighton College Dubai.

Staff cleaning the doors, classrooms, corridors at Brighton College Dubai before pupils returning on August 29.

Deep cleaning and sanitisation takes place before pupils return to on-site learning.

Latest: Abu Dhabi schools switch to distance learning for two weeks in January

Dubai and Sharjah private school pupils will attend classes in person next term as originally planned, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority and Sharjah Private Education Authority said.

The announcement came as Abu Dhabi authorities set out new Covid-19 precautionary measures requiring all schools to return to distance learning for the first two weeks of term two.

KHDA said collective classroom, extra-curricular activities, school trips and gatherings would not be allowed during the first two weeks of the term.

Canteens will also be closed for the period.

KHDA oversees Dubai's private education sector, including early childhood education centres, schools, higher education establishments, and training institutes.

Sharjah Private Education Authority on Wednesday also confirmed face-to-face lessons will continue in the emirate's private schools, nurseries and institutes from January 3. However, all extracurricular activities, morning assemblies and school trips are to be suspended for now.

The UAE recorded 1,846 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the number of infections to 754,911 and a record tally of 431,482 PCR tests.

Daily cases had dropped to fewer than 50 In early December before the numbers started to rise, prompting authorities to increase testing and introduce new rules to protect public health.

Dubai also announced guidelines for New Year’s Eve celebrations in the emirate on Tuesday.

Firework displays will be held across 29 places in an effort to discourage large gatherings and enable spectators to follow social-distancing rules, Dubai Media Office said on Twitter.

Masks must be worn at all times when celebrating New Year’s Eve in public. The violators would be fined Dh3,000.

Meanwhile, the Emirates airlines has suspended entry of travellers from several African countries until further notice.

It said passengers on direct and transit flights from Angola and Guinea will not be permitted to travel to Dubai from December 28.

Six other African countries are also on the list.