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Image Credit: Twitter/Dubai Media Office

Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, toured a number of Ministry of Education schools on Sunday, the first day of the new academic year 2017-18.

Pictures and videos of the visits have been posted on the official Twitter account of Dubai Media Office, @DXBMediaOffice.

The tour started with Al Maktoum Boys’ School for Basic Education in Dubai, followed by other schools, including primary girls’ schools.

 
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Shaikh Mohammad can be seen interacting with students and teachers as he visits the classrooms in the morning on the first day of school. He also inspected school facilities during the tour.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, visited Hamdan Bin Zayed School on Sunday, and was briefed on the educational process on the first day of school.

More than 1.1 million public and private school students returned to class on Sunday after the summer break, which had started on June 23.

A number of schools have reported high student enrolment for the new school year and strong pupil attendance on their first day of classes.

Iain Colledge, principal of Abu Dhabi-based Raha International School, part of the Taaleem education group, said: “All our new students attended today, with the rest of the Raha community starting back tomorrow. We had over 450 new students on campus receiving an orientation and tomorrow we will start with a record high of over 2,060 students.”

In Dubai, Lesley Isherwood, principal of GEMS Al Barsha National School, said: “The first day [in GEMS Al Barsha National School for Girls and GEMS Al Barsha National School for Boys] has been overwhelmingly happy and positive. In crisp new uniforms and with the excitement of the year ahead FS1, F2 and Y1 – Y9 girls have started in our girls’ school and Y1 – Y9 boys in our brand new boys’ school located immediately next door. With our student number having more than trebled since opening last year; with a growing, enthusiastic, truly dedicated staff team and with new resources across both schools; students, parents and staff are really looking forward to a hugely successful year ahead.”

This academic year, more than a dozen new private schools have opened in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

As school buses and parents dropped off children to school in the morning, there were some reports of traffic jams. 

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Image Credit: Twitter/Dubai Media Office
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