Low turnout on first day of school amid swine flu fears

Schools across the UAE started the new term on Wednesday with one of the lowest ever student turnouts.

Fears about the spread of swine flu combined with a midweek start worked together to put off pupils from going back to class.

Figures quoted by Gulf News said that most schools in the emirates saw only 30 percent attendance, while the National said as few as one in ten students went to class.

Mohammad Al Mas, the principal of Al Ma'arif Public School in Dubai, told Gulf News their student turnout had been just 10 percent.

"This is probably the case because the first day happens to be [at] the end of the week and falls between two vacations. I don't think there is any other reason why students would not show up," he told the paper.

But, the assistant principal of Ajnadeen School, who asked not to be named, told the National that concerns over swine flu had added to the low attendance. She added that some parents were refusing to send their children until a vaccine was available.

The paper said at Emam Muslim School just 20 out of 300 pupils were present.

Meanwhile, Qatar health and education authorities will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to decide whether to delay the opening of their schools in a bid to protect pupils from the H1N1 virus.

According to a report in the Peninsula, officials had earlier announced schools would reopen on September 27, but fears of the spread of swine flu among pupils and teachers has caused them to consider delaying the opening like Bahrain which has delayed the start of the new term until next month.

Secondary schools in the kingdom will reopen on October 4, intermediate schools on October 11 and nurseries and special needs centres on November 1.

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