Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Distance learning inevitably blurs the line between home and school, as bedrooms become classrooms and dining tables turn into desks. Abu Dhabi’s Department of Knowledge and Development (ADEK), however, ensures that the boundaries between parents and teachers remain clear, with roles and responsibilities defined.
In its latest guide for online classes, ADEK outlines exactly “what parents owe schools, what schools owe parents, and — critically — what neither party should expect from the other”, providing clarity that helps families and educators navigate the challenges of remote learning while maintaining accountability and support.
Teaching remains the responsibility of schools, while parents are there to support, not replace, educators, the authority stressed.
ADEK’s guidance emphasises consistent communication, structured schedules, and clearly designated points of contact to keep parents informed and reduce unnecessary stress.
Any technical or platform changes, for example, must be accompanied by plain-language explanations, sent at least 24 hours in advance, ensuring parents can support students without confusion.
Schools are also expected to provide one structured weekly update per class, following a consistent format and delivered at predictable times. Daily timetables must be shared by 8 pm the evening before, giving parents time to plan childcare, work commitments, and household logistics around the school day. Late timetables create “real operational burdens” for families, ADEK noted.
Equally important, the guidelines clarify what schools cannot require of parents.
Parents may not be asked to teach, explain, or redeliver academic content that the school is responsible for. They are also not required to supervise their child’s screen during lessons, except in the case of kindergarteners who need safeguarding.
Communication must also be regulated. Schools may only contact parents between 3:30 pm and 8 pm for routine academic matters, and must avoid sending multiple messages across different platforms.
Notably, homework must be designed so that parents are not required to supervise or complete tasks on behalf of Cycle 1 students and above. Any assignment that demands active parental involvement is considered a design failure and must be restructured by the school, according to the policy.
On the other hand, ADEK’s guidance also clearly outlines what parents are expected to contribute to ensure distance learning runs smoothly.
Parents are responsible for ensuring their child is present, prepared, and in a reasonably quiet space at the start of the school day. They should also provide age-appropriate supervision and support their child’s learning within a positive home environment.
For any welfare concerns, they must respond to the school within 24 hours, allowing educators to address any issues promptly.
Parents lauded ADEK’s effort to tighten the e-learning framework, highlighting that clarity will translate into a smoother experience at home.
“Clear roles prevent overlap and create better balance for everyone,” said Amna Al Maskari, a mother of school-age children.
“Communication with the school makes it easier to follow progress, and setting clear timings helps organise family life and strengthens discipline,” she told Aletihad.
That same balance between structure and support is reflected in how families approach their day-to-day involvement in students’ classes.
Waleed Alobthani shared that in their household, they make sure children are well prepared for lessons and their environment is conducive to learning.
“As a family, we guide them without doing the tasks for them, so they learn to be self-reliant,” Alobthani said.
He agreed that the teacher's role is to present the educational material, explain lessons, assess students’ levels, while the parents must focus on support, follow-up, and organisation.
Another parent, Mariam Al Dhanhani, supports her child by providing a calm and organised environment and consciously ensures she does not interfere with the teacher’s role.
“Understanding these roles helps achieve a healthy balance, and enhances the child’s independence,” she said.
These clearly defined roles and expectations, however, do not diminish the fact that distance learning remains a shared responsibility, said Mariam Al Zaabi.
These boundaries should not be perceived as restrictive, she said. Instead, they help families and schools work together more effectively to support students.
