By Tommy Hilton

DUBAI -- The UAE Ministry of Education is still reviewing whether students will be able to return to school in person for the academic year 2020-21, according to a release by the official Emirates News Agency (WAM) on Thursday.

The UAE closed schools in March due to the threat of the coronavirus pandemic spreading in classrooms and playgrounds. It has since moved to a distance learning model, in which children continue their studies remotely from their homes via the internet.

With a vaccine that would bring an end to the coronavirus pandemic still far off, many countries are considering whether to keep distance learning measures in place into the next academic year. In neighboring Saudi Arabia, the minister of education recently suggested that distance learning could be a “strategic choice” and not just a necessity post-coronavirus.

This latest release confirms the UAE has not yet made its decision.

The statement also confirmed that distance learning measures will remain in place for the rest of this academic year, in line with previous decisions.

The system is in place for education of all levels, including universities and higher education.

Many parents with young children have had to alter their lifestyles as a result of children not being able to go to school, learning how to coexist while working from home and often having to take a more active role in teaching their children. -- Al Arabiya English