Coronavirus: More than 1,800 children of medics get full fee waiver in UAE public schools

Scholarship holders will also get free laptops and no bus fare will be charged until they graduate from high school

Medical staff at Dubai's Mina Rashid drive-through testing centre smile for the camera. All photos by Chris Whiteoak / The National

Staff take DPI blood test samples, which give an indication of whether someone has the virus

Medics bag up samples at the drive-through, which is one of the country's busiest

The DPI sample blood sample allows drivers to cross the border into Abu Dhabi - but a PCR nasal swab test is needed to travel abroad

Staff have worked in gowns and other PPE gear throughout the sweltering summer

People get tested tests at Mina Rashid screening centre

Queues of vehicles are commonly seen outside the centre

Staff work to give people a result in just minutes

Staff work to give people a result in just minutes

The UAE has given a full fee waiver to 1,850 children of frontline heroes to study in any public school across the country.

Those selected will study free of cost until they graduate from high school.

Scholarship holders will also get free laptops and no bus fare will be charged either.

The children come from different nationalities who have called the UAE a second home.

Applications for scholarships are open until September 30.

The new scholarship programme, Hayyakum, comes after last week's announcement of a programme that will include a registry of more than 80,000 professionals deemed essential in the fight against Covid-19.

The list includes healthcare practitioners, cleaners, nurses, police, essential service providers, volunteers, and sanitation personnel, among others, who will receive support, financial benefits and recognition.

The scholarship programme is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Education and the Frontline Heroes Office.

It aims to help reduce the schooling costs and encourage long-term retention of frontline healthcare professionals in the UAE.

The programme will also launch other education-focused initiatives for the children in the future.

“Our frontline professionals are the true heroes of the UAE and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts,” said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the board of the Frontline Heroes Office.

“Their selfless service to their communities has helped us get through this difficult time and they are a shining example of the true values and culture of the UAE.

“We at Frontline Heroes Office hope to provide the same level of support and compassion that those on the frontline have provided to millions of people across our nation.

“We wish their children every success as they embark upon a new school year and we look forward to watching them follow in their parents’ footsteps to become outstanding members of society.”

Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, thanked the leaders of the country for providing the scholarships.

The Frontline Heroes Office was set up in July by a decree of the President, Sheikh Khalifa, and is under the direction of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

It was given the job of listening and responding to the challenges of frontline professionals, and ensuring they are "nationally recognised and celebrated".