School students unhappy to stay at home

UAE : You would think that surprise school holidays, like the one today, could bring cheer among school kids. But many students in the UAE said they were unhappy about staying home.

“My son is upset about missing literary work in school,” said a father of an eighth grader. “I can’t remember being sad about not going to school, ever. We would have had a party. But kids these days are so happy to go to the school.”

“Why is it a holiday today?” quizzed a six-year-old student at a British school. He was upset about missing the dress rehearsal for his school show. “I also have swimming camp today, how could I miss that?”

Some working parents had to take a day-off to take care of their children. “These are things you can’t plan,” said Rishi.

Some schools, which had slotted their final exams on Thursday, had postponed it to Sunday.

“My daughter had her school exam postponed to Sunday,” said Regina, mother of a third grader, who attends Indian School in Bur Dubai.

CBSE exams, which are conducted by the Indian boards, did not change the date of the exams, and continued without a hitch.

After torrential rain lashed through parts of the UAE on Wednesday, the Ministry of Education announced closure of all schools in the UAE on Thursday.