The Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) has issued a circular to the emirate’s private school directors highlighting new back-to-school procedures.

In line with the authority’s keenness to ensure the health and safety of students and employees of educational establishments, the circular stipulated that the back-to-school procedures for the 2021-2022 academic year include all employees of educational establishments and students over the age of 12 presenting negative PCR test results.

SPEA also required employees of educational establishments to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, meaning they must take at least two vaccine doses, except those who can show medical reports exempting them from being vaccinated, provided they present a weekly negative PCR test result.

New employees from abroad who are unvaccinated will be exempted from the vaccination requirements to enter their workplace, provided that they get vaccinated within two months from the arrival date, and present a weekly negative PCR test in the meantime.

Students are not required to be vaccinated for the time being and only need to provide a negative PCR test result at the start of the school year, the circular noted, but it urged parents to vaccinate their children to support the UAE’s efforts to contain the pandemic.