Several Sharjah private schools move online to distance learning

Parents faced issues getting the mandatory negative PCR test results this week

Diana Parva, a French teacher, talks to the class of grade 11 at Victoria English School in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

Pupils of grade 11 go to their class on the first day of the school reopening in 2020. Pawan Singh / The National

Pupils pass through the disinfection tunnel at the Victoria English School in Sharjah last year. Pawan Singh / The National

A staff member checks the temperature of a pupil at the entrance gate at the Victoria English School in Sharjah in 2020. Pawan Singh / The National

School principal Keith Sykes (R) talks to pupils at Victoria English School in Sharjah on the first day of school in 2020. Pawan Singh / The National

Pupils stand in a socially distanced queue at the Victoria English School in Sharjah. Pawan Singh / The National

Several private schools in Sharjah have moved to online learning for the remainder of this week.

Schools that made the move include the International School of Choueifat in the emirate and Gems Westminster School Sharjah.

"Dear parents, please note that KG1 to Grade 6 will go online as of Wednesday, January 5, until Thursday January 6, 2022 and we will keep you posted on any updates," said the message from the International School of Choueifat.

The International School of Creative Science in Muweilah also sent messages asking pupils to move to online learning until Thursday, which is the end of the school week in Sharjah after the emirate's decision to adopt a four-day week from January 1.

Year 7-12 pupils at Gems Westminster School Sharjah were also instructed to attend classes remotely on Wednesday and Thursday.

No reason was given for the move to online learning, but earlier this week several parents reported problems with obtaining the mandatory negative PCR test results for their children on time.

Many parents said they visited medical centres for several hours on Saturday and Sunday, waiting for their children to be tested. As a result, some pupils missed the first day of school.

Sharjah Private Education Authority, which allowed educational institutions to temporarily shift to online learning for the first two days of this term, had asked schools, nurseries and universities to return to face-to-face lessons from Wednesday, January 5 at the latest.

The Rosary school in Muweilah and Al Shola School in Al Shahba will both continue to provide in-class education for their pupils this week.

"Pupils' attendance increased from about 50 per cent on the first day of this term to nearly 75 per cent today, and I’m confident it will increase tomorrow,” said Ibrahim Barakeh, director of Al Shola Schools Group.

"We will continue the face-to-face learning but we will provide flexibility by allowing online education for parents whose children may have not received their PCR test results, or are a little worried to send their children back to school at the moment."