Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday that all pupils would return to in-classroom learning and that it would lift Covid-19 measures including social distancing.
Most children have been studying remotely for almost two years, but with the Covid-19 recovery rate up to 90 per cent, from March 20, children will return to school and will not have to practise social distancing during assembly, prayer, sports, playtime or lessons.
“It has been the most challenging two years with all parents stuck at home due to online learning which was so difficult. They didn’t enjoy being at home all the time and missed the real interaction and the classroom atmosphere,” she said.
“My 6-year-old daughter was jumping with joy when I told her she can go back and be with her classmates. I can finally get around to doing things for myself, like working out, while the kids are at school. It was absolutely essential for parents and children.”
Her daughter Alia said: “I missed my friends.”
The Ministry of Education has issued guidelines on how to limit the spread of Covid-19.
“My students were very happy when I let them know they will be playing sports together and everything is going back to normal. There were cheers and excitement all around,” said Abbas Al Wayli, an Egyptian physical education instructor living in Jeddah.
“We are all really happy to be able to go back to normal and engage in daily activities like we did pre-corona.”
“It makes sense for contact sports especially. Kids want to play and interact with their teammates, which was impossible with their masks and social distancing.”
The ministry said children under the age of 12, even those at kindergarten, will return to school in the third semester of this year, which will start on March 20.
This month, the Saudi government scrapped Covid-19 restrictions with masks no longer required in open spaces, and no social distancing.
Tourists no longer need to quarantine or provide PCR tests.
