Parent Guide to Distance Learning
Ministry of Education, Term 3, 2025–2026.
Contents
Introduction����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
Quick Start for Parents������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
Supporting Younger Children��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
First Day of Distance Learning������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
What Distance Learning Will Look Like����������������������������������������������������������� 5
Subjects Your Child Will Learn������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
Attendance and Participation��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
How Parents Can Support Learning����������������������������������������������������������������� 7
Recommended Supplies for Distance Learning ���������������������������������������������� 7
Managing Screen Time and Wellbeing������������������������������������������������������������ 8
Online Safety������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10
Support and Communication with the School����������������������������������������������� 11
Coping Strategies: How You Can Help Your Child During Difficult Times����� 13
2
Introduction
All schools across the UAE will transition to distance learning starting from 23rd March
2026.
Schools will continue delivering lessons and learning activities through approved
digital platforms, enabling your child to continue learning from home in a structured
and consistent way.
During this period, parents play an important role in supporting their children’s
learning. This guide provides practical information to help families manage distance
learning at home. It also includes guidance on online safety and offers simple
strategies to support children’s engagement, wellbeing, and learning throughout the
distance learning period.
Quick Start for Parents
Distance learning allows your child to continue learning from home when schools
cannot operate in person.
Your support helps children stay engaged and confident while learning from home.
What Parents Should Do
• Check the daily timetable shared by the school
• Ensure your child can access the learning platform
• Prepare a quiet and comfortable space for learning
• Help your child join live lessons on time
3
Supporting Younger Children
Younger children often need extra help when learning from home. Your guidance
helps them stay focused, understand instructions, and feel confident during online
lessons.
You can support your child by:
• sitting with them during lessons when possible
• helping them navigate learning platforms and communication applications used
by the school
• helping them understand instructions from the teacher
• reading together every day
• engaging in simple learning activities such as drawing, counting, or storytelling
First Day of Distance Learning
When distance learning begins, you can help your child prepare for the school day
and ensure learning is smooth.
Before the School Day Begins:
• Review the expectations and guidelines related to distance learning.
• Review the daily timetable shared by the school
• Ensure your child can access the learning platform
• Test the device, internet connection, audio, and camera
4
At the Start of the School Day
• Help your child log in to the learning platform
• Ensure your child joins the first lesson on time
During the Day
• Support younger children if they need help using the platform
What Distance Learning Will Look Like
Your child will continue learning from home through a variety of activities planned by
the school.
Learning may include:
• live online lessons with teachers
• independent learning activities
• offline tasks such as reading, writing, or creative work
• recorded explanations or demonstrations
Schools will share timetables and instructions through approved digital learning
platforms and schools’ communication channels.
5
Subjects Your Child Will Learn
Your child will continue learning core subjects:
• Arabic Language
• Islamic Education
• Social Studies
• English Language
• Mathematics
• Science (Physics, Biology, Chemistry)
Attendance and Participation
Your child is expected to participate in distance learning activities and follow the daily
learning timetable shared by the school. Attendance will be taken for every lesson,
and your child is expected to attend the full session.
Participation will include:
• joining live lessons
• completing assigned learning activities
• submitting assigned work when required
If your child cannot attend a lesson, please inform the school.
6
How Parents Can Support Learning
Your support plays an important role in helping your child stay motivated and
engaged during distance learning.
You can support your child by:
• helping your child follow the daily learning timetable
• encouraging your child to ask questions and share ideas during lessons
• reading together every day, especially with younger children
• talking with your child about what they learned during the day
• encouraging creativity through drawing, building, writing, or storytelling
• praising effort and progress to build confidence
Tips for Working Parents
• Familiarize yourself with your child’s distance learning model and daily
timetable, including submission deadlines, virtual lesson times, and any
quizzes or assessments.
• Establish a consistent daily routine that supports your child’s learning and fits
your family’s timetable.
• If possible, spend some time with your child in the morning before work to
review their lessons or learning tasks for the day.
• Ask the school if learning activities and assignments can be shared in advance
so you can plan ahead and understand when work needs to be completed.
• Share supervision and support responsibilities with other family members
when possible.
• Ask the school about opportunities to communicate with teachers or
administrative staff at agreed times if additional support is needed.
• Ensure you have the school’s parent contact details in case you need
assistance.
Recommended Supplies for Distance Learning
Supplies
Learning Mini Post-it notes Wall calendar Essential
devices whiteboards stationery
with markers
7
Managing Screen Time and Wellbeing
Distance learning requires children to spend time on digital devices. It is important to
maintain a healthy balance between screen use, learning, physical activity, and rest.
You can support your child by:
• encouraging regular breaks from screens between lessons
• including offline activities such as reading, drawing, or play
• limiting non-educational screen time during the school day
• encouraging physical movement.
• maintaining regular sleep and wake routines
• creating time for relaxation and family interaction
• listening to your child and supporting them if they feel worried or frustrated
about learning from home
8
The amount of screen time during distance learning will vary depending on the child’s
age. Younger children benefit from shorter learning sessions with frequent breaks.
Cycle / *Instructional Lesson
Periods per week
Grades Time Duration
Kindergarten 30-minute Monday -Friday
Up to 2 hours 15 periods
1&2 periods 3 periods per day
Monday -Thursday
Cycle 1 35-minute
Up to 3 hours 23 periods 5 periods per day
Grades 1& 2 periods
Friday – 3 periods
Monday -Thursday
Cycle 1 Up to 3 and a 40-minute
23 periods 5 periods per day
Grades 3 & 4 half hours periods
Friday – 3 periods
Monday -Thursday
Up to 4 and a 40-minutes
Cycle 2 27 periods 6 periods per day
half hours periods
Friday – 3 periods
Monday -Thursday
Up to 4 and a 40-minutes
Cycle 3 28 periods 6 periods per day
half hours periods
Friday -4 periods
*Instructional time: This excludes breaks
9
Online Safety
It is important to guide your child in using digital platforms safely.
Remind your child to:
• behave respectfully during online lessons
• follow the teacher’s instructions during virtual sessions
• not share personal information online
• follow the schools’ digital use expectations and guidelines
• use school platforms only for learning
Younger children should be supervised during online learning or when using digital
platforms.
Online Safety Checklist
• Install parental control software to block inappropriate content and websites
that are not required for your child’s learning.
• Place learning devices in a shared space in the home where you can supervise
your child’s online activity.
• Read and follow your school’s IT and online safety guidelines.
• Know who to contact at the school if you need to report concerns related to
your child’s online activity.
• Report any inappropriate activity on school learning platforms to the school
immediately.
• Ask the school to share the timetable of virtual lessons in advance.
• Request a list of the learning applications, online resources, and platforms that
your child’s school will use during this period.
10
Support and Communication with the School
Schools will continue to communicate with families during distance learning. Clear
communication helps ensure that your child can continue learning effectively from
home.
Each school will assign a designated distance learning coordinator as a main point
of contact for parents. The coordinator will support communication, address queries,
and help resolve any issues related to distance learning.
Schools may communicate with parents through:
• the school’s learning platforms and communication channels
• email messages
• phone calls or text messages
School leaders and teachers may also be available at specific times during the day
to respond to questions and provide support. You may wish to ask your school when
teachers or administrative staff are available if you need assistance.
11
You should contact the school if:
• your child cannot attend distance learning lessons
• your child has difficulty accessing the learning platform
• your child needs additional support with learning
If you are a working parent and it is difficult to support your child during regular
school hours, you may speak with the school to explore flexible arrangements. This
may include:
• accessing recorded lessons where available
• reviewing learning materials after working hours
• communicating with teachers at agreed times when support is needed
Working together with the school will help ensure that your child continues learning
successfully during distance learning.
Questions you should ask the school
• How will schools operate during the closure?
• What is your child’s daily learning timetable?
• What learning applications will they use and information about their login
details?
• When and how many times during the day will your child need to log in?
• Where can you find daily/weekly online assignments and lessons?
• Can you record live virtual classes/lessons to view later in the day with your
child?
• For schools not using online platforms, how and when can you pick up and
drop off work packages?
• What additional online resources and applications, including webpages, does
your school recommend?
• What is your school’s IT helpdesk number and parent hotline?
• How can the distance learning coordinator be contacted?
12
Coping Strategies: How You Can Help Your Child During Difficult
Times
Children may respond differently to challenging or uncertain situations depending on
their age. The strategies below may help you support your child’s wellbeing and help
them feel safe and reassured.
Ages 4-6 Ages 6–12 Ages 13–18
Maintain regular family Maintain regular family Maintain regular family
routines, including routines, including routines, including
bedtime bedtime bedtime
Show patience and Show patience, tolerance, Show patience, tolerance,
understanding and reassurance and reassurance
Provide reassurance Encourage children to ask Encourage discussions
through words and questions and share their about experiences and
physical comfort thoughts feelings with family
Encourage expression Encourage expression
Encourage continuation of
through play, drawing, or through play and
hobbies and interests
storytelling conversation
Organize opportunities for Allow teenagers to stay
Allow short-term changes
children to stay in contact connected with friends
in sleeping arrangements
with friends through phone through phone or online
if needed
or online communication communication
Plan calm and comforting Encourage regular physical Encourage regular physical
activities before bedtime activity activity
Limit exposure to Limit exposure to Limit exposure to
distressing news or media distressing news or media distressing news or media
Help children maintain Help children maintain Support positive habits
healthy routines healthy routines and healthy behaviours
13