The Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) has reminded the schools in Abu Dhabi that the vaccination of students below the age of 16 years remains “strictly prohibited”.
This came as Adek issued a policy for the implementation of the Blue Schools Initiative that allows schools to relax measures and return to normal operations based on student vaccination rates.
RELATED STORY: Abu Dhabi schools to carry out free PCR tests starting September 7
As per the new Adek policy, the schools are also required to establish clear anti-discrimination and anti-stigmatisation guidelines and are prohibited from requiring the mandatory vaccination of students below the age of 16.
Amer Al Hammadi, undersecretary at Adek said that the policy is aimed to enable an efficient and effective implementation of the Blue Schools initiative.
READ ON: Abu Dhabi schools to face AED 250,000 fine for failure to adhere to COVID-19 rules
Currently, staff and students aged 16 and above at Abu Dhabi’s private and charter schools have received the COVID jabs which only leaves students under 16 as the only unvaccinated group.
The schools have been categorized into orange, yellow, green, and blue as per their vaccination rate. Based on vaccination, schools can relax physical distancing and mask-wearing protocols to increase the capacity in classrooms and buses as well as beginning field trips, on-campus events, and extra-curricular activities. (AW)
