How is the Primary School Education in Dubai Post COVID-19?

Published 20 June 2022 at 11:04

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How is the primary school education in Dubai post the COVID-19 epidemic? A survey by the KHDA of children's well-being in Dubai schools shows a more positive outcome. Parents have complained about leaving Dubai to teach overseas, yet the number of teachers in the UAE is higher than ever. One study shows that e-learning is more popular than in-class learning, and a majority of school communities support the move. Here, AL Ghaf Private School, a British school in Dubai shares a glimpse into the primary school education post-pandemic, as per UAE’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) wellbeing survey. 

Image Credit: Al Ghaf Private School

KHDA wellbeing survey for children at schools in Dubai shows more positive findings

The results of the KHDA wellbeing survey for children at schools across Dubai indicate that overall levels of child happiness are high. In a separate survey of students aged five to 12, 85% of the students reported that they were happy most of the time. While a similar survey of adults at schools in the UAE found that fewer people were "badly affected" by school, many children cited their negative experiences as the cause of their discontent.

The KHDA survey aims to promote a healthy school environment by promoting personal wellbeing, peer support, and a well-balanced academic habitat. The results are reported in a report that will be made available to participating schools. In addition, three teachers from leading schools in Dubai were invited to participate in the Festival of Positive Education, which brought together educators and policy-makers from all over the world.

The KHDA happiness team was endorsed by the organization's top management, and the project was thoroughly evaluated. As a result, the KHDA wellbeing survey included a variety of critical variables to evaluate differences within the organization and identify areas for improvement. Overall, the KHDA wellbeing survey for children at schools in Dubai has more positive findings than its predecessor. If the KHDA wellbeing survey for children at schools in Dubai proves to be a success, it will provide guidance to schools and policymakers.

e-Learning preferred over in-class

Image Credit: Pixabay

After the recent Covid-19 pandemic, it is not surprising to see a rise in distance learning in the UAE. The virus is a devastating pandemic that affected the entire world - institutions, businesses, religions, and of course, education. This study examines students' preferences and perceptions toward distance learning and the challenges they face. A questionnaire was designed to measure the students' perspectives.

The students who preferred distance learning exhibited various personality traits, which in turn influence their preference for distance learning over traditional classroom teaching. Self-regulation character, for example, is often associated with higher acceptance of e-learning methods. This character includes effective time management skills, goal-setting skills, problem-solving capacities, and a sense of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is also a factor in the student's preferences.

The survey found that more than half of respondents chose remote learning over in-class education because it was safer and more accessible. One-third of respondents stated that their child was happy or better in remote learning than in-class. Less frequent reasons for remote attendance included lack of comfort with COVID-19 mitigation strategies and unvaccinated adults in the school. The remaining twelve percent of respondents did not fall into either category.

Teachers' mental health affected by COVID-19

A recent survey revealed that the mental health of teachers has declined over the past year. This is a significant issue, especially since teachers are often the ones who are tasked with providing mental health support to students. By understanding what these students are going through, teachers will be better equipped to help them deal with mental health issues. Because, in all honesty, teachers have an obligation to improve the mental health of our students.

There have been many recent reports detailing the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on teachers' mental health. The first is that teachers are now more stressed than ever - 46 percent of them report experiencing high stress on a daily basis. Indeed, teaching has been rated as one of the most stressful professions in the United States, tied with nursing. Adding COVID-19 to the mix only serves to amplify the problem. Mental health issues in teachers have been on the rise for some time, but COVID-19 has increased their visibility and raised their profile in the public eye.

Despite the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of UAE teachers rated their online learning environment as "highly effective." However, in terms of their perceptions of their own competency, there was no correlation between their mental state and their perception of their competencies. Therefore, teachers' mental health was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the report.

However, if you are thinking of a better school for your child, AL Ghaf Private School, a community-based school in Jebel Ali, offers a complete British curriculum to better shape the future of the children.