KHDA assures uninterrupted e-learning

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

As the first week of distance learning in Dubai schools concluded on Thursday, Knowledge & Human Development Authority (KHDA), Dubai, Director General Dr Abdulla Al Karam said that in the coming days and weeks, the KHDA will keep on working to ensure that the children’s learning is not interrupted.

“We’ll work with local and international experts to support schools. We’ll ask for our community’s support and insights often, so that we can continue to learn from each other, even when these uncertain times have passed,” he said.

Speaking about the impact of Covid-19 on education system in the UAE, he said, “In the last few weeks, our lives have changed more than we could have ever imagined. But if we look closely, we can see that there many aspects of life that have continued unchanged; that have in fact grown stronger. One of these is our sense of community. Another is our resolve to give our children the best education we can. This week, we’ve seen our community look a challenge in the eye and meet it with courage, with determination and with optimism.”

Students, teachers and parents have been sharing their distance learning experiences on social media. Brave parents have been doing PE with their kids. Braver parents have even attempted high school maths. Students made breakfast for their parents and parents asked teachers how they can help them. And, grandparents helped their grandchildren with their homework online.

“We’ve also seen the frustrations as technology failed, as parents’ competing priorities overwhelmed them, and as teachers, who are also parents, struggled to balance their roles. In this first week of distance learning in Dubai, we’ve all seen a lot, and we’ve all learned a lot. We’ve learned that we still have so much to learn, and that our hearts are open to it,” he added.

Karam said that when school closures were first announced in early March, the KHDA called every school principal in Dubai and “reassured them that we are all in this together. These are uncertain times for all of us, but there are a few things we can be sure of.