No more WhatsApp sick notes for students: What UAE parents need to do now

Dubai: Government and private school administrations that implement the Ministry of Education curriculum have announced that they will not accept medical excuses for students submitted via social media applications. They have informed parents that the electronic form is the only way to submit and upload sick leave certificates for students, and they have stopped receiving sick leave certificates via communication applications such as WhatsApp and Telegram or any other communication channels, in order to organise the documentation of absences, expedite the processing of sick leave excuses, and link them directly to the student's data. The schools explained, in circulars, that the parent must access the approved electronic form via the designated link or scan the QR code provided by the school, then log in using the student’s Ministry email, input the required data and attach a copy of the sick leave certificate before sending the request electronically. The schools have identified five steps to complete the process of uploading sick leave, starting with opening the link or scanning the QR code, then logging in with the student’s Ministry email, entering the student’s number and full name and selecting the grade level, followed by attaching a picture of the sick leave certificate, and finally sending the request via the electronic form. The circulars stressed that the link and QR code represent the only approved channel for receiving sick leave certificates, and that any certificate sent via Telegram or other means will not be accepted, calling on parents to adhere to the specified electronic path to ensure that the document reaches the competent authority and is processed according to the approved procedures. Parents were also asked to keep the original sick leave certificate after uploading it electronically, to present it to the school upon request, ensuring that the original document can be accessed and verified when needed. The procedure reorganises the relationship between school absence and sick leave through a unified channel, instead of distributing documents among different messaging applications and communication methods, which helps reduce the loss of requests or delays in following up on them, and provides the school with a more regular electronic record of leave requests associated with each student. The departments stressed the importance of families adhering to the correct data when filling out the form, especially the student number, full name, grade level, and a copy of the sickness certificate, to ensure that the excuse is assigned to the correct student file and the application procedures are completed without delay.