Abu Dhabi launches online charter school to help pupils affected by Covid-19

New school will offer the Ministry of Education curriculum

Abu Dhabi has launched a virtual school to support families affected by the pandemic. 

Abu Dhabi launched an online school to ensure children affected by the Covid-19 pandemic continue to have access to education.

The emirate's Department of Education and Knowledge partnered with Horizon Private School for the online platform, which has already enrolled 579 children of 15 nationalities.

The online school is an extension of the Charter Schools initiative, which is based on a public-private partnership model. It will offer the Ministry of Education curriculum.

Charter schools were first introduced in the capital in 2019, providing free education for Emirati pupils who live within the neighbourhood of each facility.

Education chiefs did not disclose further details about the project.

The coronavirus pandemic that has gripped the globe for more than a year had a wide-ranging effect on society.

Some workers lost jobs or had to take pay cuts because of the strain the outbreak placed on economies.

The online school seeks to offer a lifeline to families hardest hit by the spreadof coronavirus.

This month, Dubai announced the launch of two new affordable schools with a starting fee of Dh29,900.

The initiative, called Dubai Schools, will be run by a private sector operator under a new model for the city.

The schools, located in Al Barsha and Mirdif, will be operated by Taaleem, one of the country's top education providers, and will welcome their first cohort of pupils in August.