Latest: At least 20 Dubai schools return to e-learning as teachers test positive for Covid-19
Teachers and pupils across the UAE will return to school on Monday to start a new term and the new four-and-a-half-day week.
Schools have been altering lesson timetables and breaks to align with the new shorter week.
Head teachers were advised by education authorities that they could extend the school day to make up for the half day lost on Fridays, but schools will shut no later than midday on the last day of the week.
At Taaleem’s American Academy for Girls in Dubai, principal Lisa Johnson said there had been talk of a new working week for some time, so the school had a good idea of where and how to restructure.
American Academy for Girls will extend the school day by 20 minutes to ensure there is adequate time to cover the curriculum
Lisa Johnson,
principal, American Academy for Girls
“American Academy for Girls will extend the school day by 20 minutes to ensure there is adequate time to cover the curriculum,” she said.
“We also combined some of our pastoral classes [those that address well-being and emotional welfare] to lower the frequency but allow for longer periods that will be held on Fridays.
“We chose not to simply shift our classes forward a day, so a great deal of time has been invested in modifying our master schedule to accommodate the half day.”
With a largely Emirati population at the school, Ms Johnson said that initially some pupils and parents had expressed concern about the new schedule over concerns that it would affect prayer times on Fridays. But once the new schedule was shared, it was welcomed.
At Dubai College, headmaster Michael Lambert said prior to the change, the school had broadly maintained Dubai's "historical early finish on a Thursday".
“As such, we have taken a pragmatic approach to the new working week by shifting each day forward and reducing our extended break time and our Friday lessons by five minutes to accommodate these new requirements,” he said.
“This will not significantly impact curriculum time for pupils and will allow us to comply immediately.
“I, for one, am looking forward to using the additional time on Friday afternoons for my own personal development.”
Dr Sheela Menon, principal at Ambassador School in Dubai, said very little has been tweaked at her campus to adjust to the shorter school week.
"As a school, we are very much in alignment with the new four-and-a-half-day week,” she said.
“From Monday to Thursday, our timings remain from 7.30am to 2pm. On Mondays, however, our middle and senior school pupils will stay back until 4pm.
“Considering the unusual times that we are in, mental well-being of all remains a priority, therefore we decided to make few to no changes to the existing timetable for the remaining months of the academic year."
In Abu Dhabi, pupils will switch to distance learning for the first two weeks of term to limit the spread of Covid-19, while schools in other emirates will resume in-person lessons.
Speaking to The National earlier, Fiona Cottam, principal at Hartland International School, said the pandemic had taught school leaders to adapt to change with speed.
“It may be a matter of maybe 100 minutes a week, but we're doing some tweaks and modifications to the timetable to make that work,” she said.
“That's probably the biggest logistical change.”
UAE's 2021 best school awards: in pictures
If you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals. A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com. Good guidebooks include the Lonely Planet guides to Northern California and Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest.
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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Engine: Duel electric motors
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Price: On request
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Read more about the coronavirus
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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Cartlow: $13.4m
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Smileneo: $5.8m
Soum: $4m
imVentures: $100m
Plug and Play: $25m
