Dubai: Government and private schools have activated a package of procedures and operational plans to ensure student discipline and regularity, based on tightening the ban on the use of mobile phones within the school environment, monitoring attendance and absence at the class level, in addition to early notification to parents, and following up on cases of absence and repeated violations through school administrations, student affairs and relevant specialists.Since the first day of the new academic year, schools have circulated rules for attendance and absence to students and parents, stressing that regular attendance is a fundamental pillar for the continuity of learning, raising achievement, and establishing responsibility and discipline.These circulars stressed the importance of not being absent on specific days, especially Friday, the days before and after official holidays, the period before final exams, and the last two weeks of the second semester, while setting a ceiling for unjustified absence at five days per semester, and a maximum of 15 days during the year.School principals revealed six measures to tighten discipline and protect learning time, foremost among them being the neutralisation of mobile phones as one of the most prominent distractions for students inside classrooms.Phones banned in schoolsDr. Michael Bartlett, Director General of Dubai Modern Education School, said that the effectiveness of the ban is not achieved simply by announcing that “phones are prohibited,” but is based on clear and unified rules known to the student, the parent, and the teacher.He explained that confiscating the phone is subject to an organised process that begins with documenting the violation, storing the device securely, informing the student and his guardian, and then returning it according to the approved regulations, while repeated violations are subject to broader follow-up by the administration and student affairs.Dr. Michael Bartlett, Director General of Dubai Modern Education School. Picture credit: SuppliedThe principal of GEMS Gulf International School, Ghadeer Abu Shamat, stated that tightening restrictions on phones does not mean excluding technology from classrooms, but rather aims to separate personal use from the organised educational use of digital devices. Computers, tablets, and educational platforms remain part of learning tools when used under the supervision of the teacher and for a specific academic purpose.She explained that the deciding factor in using devices inside the classroom is the "purpose," as accessing an e-book or educational platform and carrying out a classroom activity is radically different from using the phone for messaging, taking pictures, or browsing content during the lesson.She added that the teacher controls the timing, duration, and purpose of using technology, ensuring that the device remains a tool for learning and not a source of distraction. She stressed that unifying the rules of use resolves individual interpretations within classrooms and preserves class time for teaching and learning.The director of Al Maarefa School, Samer Sarhan, stressed the tightening of controls on bringing mobile phones to school or misusing means of communication, aim to protect students, promote discipline and positive behaviour, and provide a safe educational environment, away from practices that may disrupt the educational process or offend others.He added that using the phone for non-educational purposes requires the application of penalties stipulated in the regulations, in addition to summoning the parents and informing them of the details of the violation, and their signing of the official forms.He explained that any phone found in the student’s possession inside the school is subject to confiscation, according to the Student Behaviour Management Regulations, with the parents being notified of the violation. The phone is held for a month the first time, while the confiscation extends until the end of the school year if the violation is repeated.Attendance is keySamar Mohammed, the principal of the School of Scientific Creativity, said that monitoring attendance in each class gives the administration an immediate picture of student attendance and reveals patterns of absence before they turn into a recurring behaviour that wastes learning time and is reflected in academic achievement.She added that the system detects ‘selective absence’ when a student is repeatedly absent from a particular subject or time, in addition to monitoring repeated lateness, which allows for early intervention, studying the reasons, and communicating with the family before the situation worsens.Teacher Ribal Ghassan Al-Ata said that the teacher represents the first line of monitoring within the classroom, whether in recording attendance or following up on compliance with device regulations, but the success of the system requires quick electronic procedures that do not waste class time, and a central mechanism that takes over the follow-up of cases after they have been monitored.Teacher Ribal Ghassan Al-Ata said that the teacher represents the first line of monitoring within the classroom. Picture credit: SuppliedShe added that the teacher's responsibility begins with discovering and documenting the case, while addressing it requires the integration of roles between the administration, student affairs, specialists, and the family, in order to ensure rapid intervention and not to place the responsibility of following up on violations solely on the teacher.Student Affairs Officer Sanaa Yahya said that dealing with repeated absences and violations of phone use is based on “gradualism and documentation,” starting with monitoring the situation, issuing warnings and communicating with the family, then moving to guidance and administrative intervention when it continues according to the approved procedures.She stressed the need to differentiate between justified and unjustified absence, and to separate administrative documentation of attendance from behavioural violations related to deliberate absence or skipping classes, emphasising that the goal is not to hasten punishment, but rather to stop the behaviour and address its causes before it affects the student's regularity and achievement.Full-time school schedule starts next weekStarting next Monday, the Ministry of Education will adopt a full-time school schedule for students.The Ministry of Education has approved the full-time schedule for all levels of education, from kindergarten and the first level to the second and third levels, with the schedules to be implemented starting next Monday.The schedules specify the times for classes, breaks, and assembly, with special arrangements for Fridays. The number of classes per week ranges from 24 for kindergarten to 32 for the first cycle (grades 1-6), and 36 for the second and third cycles (grades 7-9). The schedules also show variations in school hours depending on the grade level and the chosen option. Kindergarten classes run from 7.30am to 1pm, Monday through Thursday. The first cycle offers two options: one from 7.15am to 1.25pm, and the other from 8am to 2.20pm. For the second and third cycles, boys' classes run from 7.15am to 2.15pm, while girls' classes run from 8am to 3.15pm.The duration of the school day, from Monday to Thursday, ranges between five and a half hours for kindergarten, and seven hours and 15 minutes for students of the second and third cycles, while the Friday school day decreases to between three hours and 15 minutes and four hours, according to the stage and the time of the start of receiving students.The Ministry granted schools flexibility in organising the timing of breaks and intervals between classes, while emphasising adherence to approved attendance and departure times, and coordination with school transportation.The guidelines also stipulated the suspension of the morning assembly when temperatures rise, with the exception of schools and educational complexes that have air-conditioned halls, in order to maintain the safety of students and the regularity of the school day.
