Classrooms reopen as UAE eases education curbs

Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Classrooms across the UAE are set to reopen on Monday, May 11, after education authorities cleared the resumption of in-person learning for students, teachers and administrative staff following a temporary shift to remote classes linked to regional security developments.

The decision covers public and private schools, nurseries, universities and higher education institutions across the country, restoring normal campus attendance after precautionary distance learning measures were introduced from May 5 to May 8. The move was taken after continued monitoring of developments and coordination with relevant authorities to protect the continuity of lessons, examinations and academic assessments.

Education authorities said approved safety and security protocols would remain in force as campuses reopen. Institutions have also been told to retain readiness for alternative learning models if conditions require further changes. That approach reflects the UAE’s post-pandemic education playbook, where classroom teaching remains the default but digital platforms can be activated quickly during public safety disruptions.

The Ministry of Education’s order applies to students and staff in schools and nurseries, while the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research confirmed the same return for public and private universities and other higher education institutions. The decision gives families, school operators and universities a single national timetable after several days of uncertainty over whether remote learning would be extended.

Schools are expected to resume scheduled classroom instruction, with examinations and international assessments proceeding in person under approved timetables. The return is significant for pupils in examination years, as the disruption came during a sensitive period in the academic calendar, when many institutions are preparing final assessments, board examinations, university admissions documentation and end-of-year reporting.

Private education regulators have aligned with the federal decision. Sharjah’s private education authority said private schools and nurseries under its supervision would also resume in-person learning from Monday. The uniform return across emirates is intended to prevent confusion for families with children enrolled in different institutions and to give operators a clear basis for transport, staffing, attendance and campus security arrangements.

The temporary shift to remote learning followed heightened regional tensions and emergency alerts connected to air defence activity. Authorities had initially framed the distance-learning period as a precautionary measure, designed to maintain education while limiting unnecessary movement during a period of uncertainty. That decision affected a wide education ecosystem, from early-years centres and K-12 schools to universities with domestic and international students.

For parents, the return restores school routines after several days of home-based supervision. For institutions, it requires a rapid operational reset, including transport schedules, canteen services, classroom staffing, attendance tracking, cleaning protocols and communication with families. Many schools had already retained digital infrastructure from previous remote-learning periods, allowing the temporary switch to take place without a full halt to instruction.

The reopening also underscores the centrality of continuity planning in the UAE’s education sector. Schools and universities have invested heavily in learning management systems, online assessment tools and parent communication platforms since the pandemic, but operators continue to stress that face-to-face instruction remains essential for younger pupils, laboratory-based subjects, practical courses, student wellbeing and structured examination preparation.

The UAE has one of the Gulf’s largest private education markets, with a substantial expatriate student population and a wide range of curricula, including British, American, International Baccalaureate and other national systems. Any nationwide shift in learning mode carries implications for working parents, school bus networks, examination schedules and fee-paying families, making advance clarity from regulators a priority for operators and households.

Authorities said coordination with educational institutions would continue and that further updates would be issued through official channels. Schools and universities are expected to keep parents and students informed through their own platforms while maintaining contingency plans should the security assessment change.