The government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued a notice to close schools for a month in an attempt to try to contain the outbreak of the Cornovairus in the region. Schools and universities across the UAE will close starting Sunday, March 8 for a month to contain the spread of Covid-19, the country’s Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday.
The UAE government is one of the first to react to the coronavirus outbreak. As it aims to contain the outbreak which has seen a surge of new cases. On Tuesday reported six new cases of coronavirus which include two people from Russia, two from Italy, one from Germany, and one from Colombia, state news agency WAM reported citing the country’s health authorities.
The six new coronavirus infections take the tally of confirmed cases in the country to 27.
According to an official statement, the move forms part of “preventive and precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students and is in line with efforts and measures taken at the national level, aimed at reducing the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).”
Educational institutions will now be off from March 8 to 29, the statement added.
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Spring break in the country which was due to begin from March 29 will instead begin on March 8 in the Emirates and last two weeks. According to the UAE Education Ministry, distance learning will be carried out during the remaining two weeks when pupils will work from home. But the UAE is to close all schools for a month during this period.
The ‘Learn from Afar’ programme, which will be implemented from March 22 to April 5, is due to be trailed in select public schools on Wednesday.
A rigorous sterilisation programme will be carried out at the educational facilities by trained health professionals and sanitisation departments during the four-week break.
The education ministry has urged parents to provide an appropriate educational environment for students at home by providing the suitable places, internet access, as well as providing computers – tablets – smartphone for use in distance education and encouraging students to practice distance learning thoroughly so that they can complete all tutorials,