Tens of thousands of pupils are returning to the classrooms in Sharjah.
Distancing, Covid-19 tests for over-12s and regular sanitisation will make this a year like no other.
Yet on Monday, The National found a sense of optimism among parents, pupils and teachers as classrooms buzzed again for the first time since March.
“It feels amazing to be back, sitting at home is more relaxed of course but boring,” said Michael Ramy, 15, who is in grade 11 at Victoria English School.
“My safety depends on me by keeping distance and avoiding shaking hands,” he said.
Nadine Chamma, 15, said she missed school and all her friends as it had become a second home.
“It felt very strange for me to not to be here for almost half a year,” she said.
“But the school has taken strict measures that I’m happy with and I think it will be fine.”
The emirate’s 116 private schools have revamped their facilities to ensure strict safety measures and it follows a mass testing of over-12s for Covid-19.
About 100,000 pupils are returning to the classrooms but not all at the same time. Some will implement a rotation system because of capacity constraints meaning one week on, one week off for pupils. Others are offering a staggered return.
Parents on Monday dropped off children at designated gates and pupils were greeted by a team of school personnel.
They had their temperatures checked and passed through sanitising gates before being directed to walk through certain paths to their classrooms.
Sultan Shaat, in grade 10, doesn’t find the health crisis worrying, and believes we must get used to it.
“It’s all on you, your safety I mean, if you follow safety protocols you will be fine and if you didn’t you will be at risk,” said Sultan,15.
After just an hour of being inside the school, Rola Mohammed, in grade 10, was happy with the measures in place.
“The teachers are the only ones allowed to move between classes, making it harder for them but safer for us,” said Rola, 14.
Victoria English School, which has 800 pupils, also introduced a novel way of encouraging hand washing, by turning dozens of barrels into colourful sinks and are installed across hallways. An isolation room, a clinic, distancing stickers and more medical staff are also part of the new school year.
Teachers at the school also said it was better to have pupils back in the classroom.
“Being online didn’t allow the progress that needs to be made with higher grades,” said French teacher, Diana Pava, who is from Romania.
“No realistic feedback or exams under control conditions is possible if you are not on-site,” she said.
“No matter how long you spend in hermit mode away from communicating everyday with people, it is always important to interact.”
Even more excited than her pupils was physics teacher, Kareema Slama.
“I’m the happiest teacher in school today because being new, this is the first time for me seeing my pupils, having first met them from behind a screen,” she said.
“It is a great day, I woke up at 5.30am so excited that I didn’t know what to wear.”
Father of four in grades 4, 5, 10 and 12, said he was ecstatic with his kids returning to school and confident they will be safe.
“I’m happy as if I had welcomed a new baby to the family,” said Lebanese resident, Ali Mohammed Msarrah, after dropping off his son to school.
“It is not like we don’t want them at home but they have become withdrawn,” said Mr Msarrah.
“In school it is different, they see their friends and talk to one another and to their teachers.”
His wife, however, said she will miss having the children around.
“She has mixed feelings … because she had the kids at home for so long,” said Mr Msarrah.
Inspection teams from Sharjah Private Education Authority, meanwhile, are conducting regular visits to ensure strict safety measures are followed.
© The National
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