Claim Schools Could be Closed 'till June Denied

According to a refuted newspaper report, UAE schools and universities could remain closed until June 2020, with a special committee formed to hear arguments for and against the reopening of schools in the face of the Covid-19 threat. An MoE tweet has since denied the story.

This article is part of an editorial series on Covid-19

By Jenny Mollon

First Published:

Tuesday 10 March, 2020

Updated:

10th Aug 2022

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Claim Schools Could be Closed 'till June Denied

This article is part of an editorial series on Covid-19

By Jenny Mollon

First Published:

Tuesday 10 March, 2020

Updated:

10th Aug 2022

A report that students across the UAE could be taught online until the end of this academic year by Gulf News, has been denied by senior figures in the Ministry of Education. According to the Gulf News report, the Ministry of Education is due to make a decision imminently as to whether schools should remain closed, and distance learning continue until the end of the school year. However the story has been denied on twitter by the Ministry of Education, and H.E. Rabaa Al-Sumaiti, Assistant Undersecretary for the Performance Improvement Sector, who stated simply, "This is not true", beneath the Gulf News tweet of the story.

Update: Schools closed until June - now official.

The Gulf News story reported the Ministry had formed an “expanded committee that includes educational and administrative officials from various central departments in its head office in Dubai”, with a role to discuss various scenarios and options the UAE could take. This is not denied, and it would be only common sense for UAE ministries to be currently evaluating all possibilities regarding Covid-19.

The Gulf News report adds that a decision is due imminently. This has been denied. The report adds that it is"likely" to be that "the distance e-education system will be extended until the end of the current academic year ending June 2020... cover[ing] all students of schools and public and private universities. Only examinations will be held within these educational institutions."

The story comes as greater containment measures are introduced worldwide to stop or at least slow the spread of Covid-19. Currently, there are thought to be more than 290 million school children being home schooled across the world, as a direct result of virus related school closures.

On Wednesday 11th, the World Health Organisation declared the novel coronavirus outbreak to be a pandemic. There are now 118,000 cases, and more than 4,000 deaths, the agency said. The virus is now on every continent except for Antarctica.