Private schools step up readiness as school bus services resume across UAE

Mohammed Ibrahim, Emirates 24/7 Dubai: Private school principals in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman said that the days leading up to the decision to return school buses to the roads, starting from tomorrow morning, witnessed intensive activity across the education sector. This included continuous meetings, comprehensive updates to plans, and the redistribution of roles among teaching and administrative staff, ensuring a smooth start and reinforcing discipline from the very first moments of the school day. They explained that resuming bus operations restores the natural rhythm of the school day, with school transport taking centre stage in preparations as the daily starting point for students. Plans have been adopted to regulate boarding and disembarking procedures, ensure compliance with safety measures, and strengthen coordination between school administrations and transport supervisors, guaranteeing that students arrive regularly and safely. Finest operational details The principal of a private school in Dubai, Khalid Abdulhamid, confirmed that schools are “working on the finest operational details, from organising student entry and supervision mechanisms within the school campus, to emergency response plans, reflecting a high level of readiness and institutional discipline based on anticipation rather than reaction.” He added that schools are implementing a new package of organisational measures to welcome students, aimed at providing a safe and stable learning environment and ensuring the safety of students and educational staff. He noted that “the plan is based on regulating attendance according to readiness while taking into account differences between educational stages, committing to a single learning model — either fully in-person or remote, without combining the two — granting carefully considered flexibility in arrival and departure times, suspending outdoor morning assemblies and replacing them with indoor alternatives, and applying regular checklists to ensure buildings and facilities are ready.” Administrative readiness The director of a private school in Ajman, Dr Fares Al‑Jbour, stated that strengthening administrative readiness was a central pillar of preparations. This was achieved by training teaching and administrative staff on safety procedures and response mechanisms, preparing awareness materials for students that include safety instructions, evacuation plans and the identification of safe zones, alongside activating communication channels with parents and relevant authorities, and organising entry and exit movement within the school campus. He pointed out that schools gave advanced attention to psychological aspects by applying psychological first aid as a supportive approach, focusing on identifying cases that need support and providing reassurance. He stressed that “this approach enhances student stability and prepares them for rapid integration into the educational environment.” Training programmes Meanwhile, the principal of a private school in Sharjah, Kholoud Fahmi, confirmed that private schools have enhanced their readiness for the new school start by designing specialised training programmes to deal with various scenarios, in addition to efficiently organising student movement inside and outside classrooms. She explained that the role of educational staff includes supervision, guidance and psychological support, enhancing students’ sense of safety and stability as they return to the school environment. Teacher Mohammed Fareed confirmed that the new measures contribute to strengthening discipline within the school environment, noting that “clarity in work mechanisms and unifying the learning model reduce distraction and positively reflect on lesson delivery and the efficient achievement of educational objectives.” Teacher Riham Qabbani said that training staff on safety procedures and response plans enhances their readiness to deal with different situations. She added that “clear procedures and continuous communication with parents build trust and reassurance, and support student stability.” Proactive educational management Private education expert Mohammed Anwar confirmed that the adopted measures represent a shift towards more flexible and proactive educational management, based on advance planning and integrated roles. He noted that the success of the return is not measured by opening doors alone, but by schools’ ability to manage daily details with high efficiency. On the parents’ side, Wadha Al Mutawa praised schools’ focus on awareness and psychological aspects, confirming that clear procedures and continuous communication with parents enhance trust and reassurance and support student stability within the school environment.