Related: How teachers are easing UAE's pupils back into classroom
Pupils across the UAE began their return to school on Sunday for the first time in nearly six months.
Children were taken in by parents or collected by bus in an organised operation with a series of safety precautions in place.
Yellow buses were less than half full, as part of physical distancing measures, and parents were urged not to cross on to school grounds where possible.
"Academic life has returned and our schools are filled with hope, ambition and success," the Ministry of Education said. At the end of the first school day, the ministry said pupils had demonstrated commitment to health and safety measures.
Last week, teachers, school staff and bus drivers across the country were tested for coronavirus in a major campaign to prevent the spread of infection.
Naturally there's some tweaks that we need to make, but generally it's gone very very well this morning
"Every effort is being made to try to make it as smooth and safe as possible," said Darren Gale, principal of Horizon International School, an independent British curriculum school in Dubai.
"We rely on community spirit and everybody reading the information and the literature.
"Naturally, there are some tweaks that we need to make. There's no such thing as a perfect system. But generally it's gone very, very well this morning."
Abu Dhabi and Sharjah's education authorities are to stagger the return to classes. Abu Dhabi's primary schools can open from Sunday and Sharjah schools will open in two weeks.
In Dubai, all schools could open from Sunday, with a number choosing to open midweek.
Parents with children of any age can elect to continue e-learning. One school told The National that 75 per cent of its pupils would be back this week, while another said more than 90 per cent would return.
"It's been five long months and we're really very excited to get our children back," said Matthew Hagan, head of English at Horizon.
"There's a great buzz and atmosphere around the school at the moment. It's different, but it's good to be back."
Tarryn Patel, a Grade One teacher at American Academy for Girls in Dubai, said much of the first day back would be spent helping pupils become used to the new precautions.
"Today we'll be walking our pupils through some of the important rules that we need to be following while we return to the new academic year," she said.
"We'll be talking about how important it is to wear our face masks, and decorating our face masks. Because, although we can't see each others' smiles, we'll be able to draw smiles on.
"We'll practise things like hand washing, the importance of it between each lesson, and then teach them that when we go for a walk somewhere for some fresh air, how to keep social distancing."
'Pupils wanted to come back'
In Abu Dhabi, children under 12 were back in class on Sunday. High school pupils are to return in four weeks' time, in September or October, as part of a plan to stagger the numbers.
At Brighton College Abu Dhabi in Khalifa Park, about 800 pupils from FS2 to Year 6 were back, or 75 per cent of the total number at the school.
“This shows the pupils just want to come back and have social interaction,” said headmaster Simon Corns.
I'm against staying at home for too long, it is damaging for the pupils. My concern is getting senior years to come back to school soon
“I’m against staying at home for too long, it is damaging for the pupils. My concern is getting senior years to come back to school soon.”
Initially, the school was told it would take about one month for that to happen. “I know they [the authorities] are trying to keep it safe,” he said.
Stephen Haw, whose two sons were allowed to return to school, said it was "an absolute relief – I've got balloons out, we are having a party".
The Briton, 42, dropped his sons Hugo, 9, and Hector, 7, at the gates of Brighton College on Sunday.
“All my children just wanted to return to school," he said.
However, his eldest son, Harry, a pupil in Year 8, was not allowed to return yet.
Mask breaks and 'study bubbles'
At American Academy for Girls, about 200 pupils were back on Sunday, while a different set of 200 children will attend school on Monday. A further 100 pupils chose to learn online from home.
Children will be studying together in small bubbles of about 10 pupils.
"We have made clusters in the building to keep children in their bubbles while teachers will move from one class to another," said principal Casey Cosgray.
"We are using outdoor spaces for breaks and we converted a music lab into a physics classroom to have more space.
"Pupils will have mask breaks when they will take off their mask for a few seconds. This has a social, mental and emotional impact."
I am happy to be back. I am looking forward to doing some drawing
Children will receive a "coronavirus diploma" at the end of the first day, which shows they understand safety procedures.
Shaikha Amiri, an Emirati support manager, said her daughter, 6, was excited to join the school on day one of the academic year.
"My daughter has been studying online since March and I thought she needed face-to-face classes, as this is better," said Ms Amiri.
"When she was studying remotely, it was difficult as I had to to spend a lot of time teaching my children."
Her daughter, Haya Al Haj Nasser, said: "I am excited to be at school and I am happy to be back. I am looking forward to doing some drawing."
Additional reporting by Haneen Dajani and Anna Zacharias
Poland Statement
All people fleeing from Ukraine before the armed conflict are allowed to enter Poland. Our country shelters every person whose life is in danger - regardless of their nationality.
The dominant group of refugees in Poland are citizens of Ukraine, but among the people checked by the Border Guard are also citizens of the USA, Nigeria, India, Georgia and other countries.
All persons admitted to Poland are verified by the Border Guard. In relation to those who are in doubt, e.g. do not have documents, Border Guard officers apply appropriate checking procedures.
No person who has received refuge in Poland will be sent back to a country torn by war.
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Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
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Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
Five hymns the crowds can join in
Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday
Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir
Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium
‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song
‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar
‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion
‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope
The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’
There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia
The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ
They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
'The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey'
Rating: 3/5
Directors: Ramin Bahrani, Debbie Allen, Hanelle Culpepper, Guillermo Navarro
Writers: Walter Mosley
Stars: Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Fishback, Walton Goggins
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The biog
DOB: 25/12/92
Marital status: Single
Education: Post-graduate diploma in UAE Diplomacy and External Affairs at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy in Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: I love fencing, I used to fence at the MK Fencing Academy but I want to start again. I also love reading and writing
Lifelong goal: My dream is to be a state minister
UAE v United States, T20 International Series
Both matches at ICC Academy, Dubai. Admission is free.
1st match: Friday, 2pm
2nd match: Saturday, 2pm
UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Amjad Gul, CP Rizwan, Mohammed Boota, Abdul Shakoor, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Amir Hayat
USA squad: Saurabh Netravalkar (captain), Jaskaran Malhotra, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jannisar Khan, Xavier Marshall, Monank Patel, Timil Patel, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Steven Taylor, Hayden Walsh
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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