The Child Safety Department (CSD), an affiliate of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, has launched an educational e-booklet to mark school reopening in the UAE.

The booklet aims to prepare families on how to best manage the back-to-school transition, whether they have chosen to attend school physically, or opted for a hybrid model of both distance and in-person learning. The materials offered in the booklet include comprehensive information on safety and protection guidelines to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

CSD is distributing the bilingual e-booklet in Arabic and English to all students in Sharjah’s private schools, in collaboration with the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA), as part of SPEA’s activations designed for their ‘Together We Return’ initiative. The e-booklet was produced in partnership with the Sharjah Child Friendly Office(SCFO) and Sharjah’s Health Promotion Department.

Targeting the entire family’s wellbeing, CSD’s e-booklet has recommended parents to consult with their kids and allow them to have a say in the decisions that affect them, by actively listening to children, giving them the opportunity to express themselves, and making sure they feel valued.

The information supplied also encourages parents to monitor their children’s homework and tasks, help them plan their daily routine to balance play and study time, and create distraction-free environments for students attending school from their homes.

Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director, CSD, underscored that partner cooperation is essential to extending the outreach of awareness messages across all segments of the community, adding: “With proper knowledge and preparedness, we can achieve a smooth transitioning for all families as children return to the classroom, whether via distance learning or hybrid models.”

“We are witnessing new realities that require everyone to commit to adhering to all precautionary and preventive measures. Students are undergoing an unprecedented phase and must learn to adapt quickly in order to make the most of it. This e-booklet will give them the guidance they need to raise their awareness on best safety practices in a fun, interactive way,” she added.

For children, the e-booklet offers a host of interactive activities, which will see children colouring in characters, connecting the dots, and doodling to reveal correct behaviours and precautionary measures.