All private schools in Sharjah will return to full in-person learning from the new academic term in April, and schools have confirmed their readiness to welcome students back on campus.

The Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) on Monday made the announcement in coordination with the local National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority.

The decision was taken in light of “the stability of the Covid-19 situation and the high vaccination rate”, the SPEA posted on Twitter.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Ali Al Hosani, director of SPEA, said the authority has distributed circulars to all schools' management to notify them that in-person attendance is mandatory for all students in private schools from April.

Al Hosani pointed out that SPEA had given parents the option to choose the type of education they preferred for their children. The majority chose the face-to-face educational model.

As students return to in-person learning next semester, Al Hosani said schools have been instructed to make the necessary preparations to ensure a safe and healthy educational environment.

Samer Mahmoud Sarhan, principal of the Al Marifa Private School in Sharjah, said the resumption of in-person learning comes at the right time, given that Covid-19 cases in the UAE have been declining over the past few weeks.

"It is time for the students to return to in-person learning because interacting with teachers and students will give them more skills and enhance their abilities," he said.

Al Marifa Private School is ready to receive 3,500 students, distributed across 161 classrooms.

Shahrazad Ezzat, director of Al Istiqlal Private School in Sharjah, confirmed that the school administration is ready to receive students in class after two years of hybrid learning.

Ezzat said hybrid education distracts students and might even make them forget certain skills. At her school, Ezzat said the percentage of students who currently attend in-person classes exceeds 90 per cent.

Another school official, Rola Nassab, principal at Al Noor International School in Sharjah, said the administration is ready to receive 3,000 students.

Nassab said in-person teaching enables students to master essential writing skills and also helps teachers monitor students directly.