GEMS Education schools in the UAE have rolled out exceptional remote learning plans for students and parents since the mandated closure of schools and the move to E-learning last month. In excess of 4.3 million collective remote learning sessions have been delivered to date, spanning all curricula and year groups and with an attendance rate of close to 100 per cent, ensuring students continue to benefit from the highest quality education during these unprecedented times.

To ensure its remote learning plans are effective and as accommodating as possible of families’ different needs, GEMS recently conducted a survey, the results of which affirm the effectiveness and success of the E-learning offering in schools. Headline results include 92 per cent student satisfaction, with 92 per cent of students also indicating that they have learnt new topics and 88 per cent saying remote learning sessions are engaging and interactive.

Also notable was that 84 per cent of respondents felt their school’s remote learning plan struck the right balance between online and offline sessions, which is key to maintaining student well-being. In addition, 92 per cent of parents indicated that their queries and concerns had been effectively addressed, reflecting the importance of schools receiving and acting upon feedback from all stakeholders in order to maximise results.

The success of the remote learning plans can be attributed to the more than 7,500 highly trained teachers working in GEMS schools in the UAE, as well as the organisation’s USD 500 million (AED 1.8 billion) investment in recent years in technology platforms and solutions to enhance students’ learning experience. GEMS has long been working towards redefining the way schools teach and students learn, having set up divisions such as GEMS X that specialise in the research, design and prototyping of new educational ecologies and emerging technologies.

Krishnan Gopi, Group Chief Disruption Officer at GEMS Education, said: “We are proud of the speed at which we were able to deploy our remote learning plans and the quality of teaching and learning taking place. The fact that the majority of families are satisfied with the E-learning being delivered is testament to our sustained investment in technology and the training our teaching staff receive in taking full advantage of our digital solutions. As a result, we are in a position to guarantee the continuity of our world-class education provision, ensuring students in our international schools are best placed to complete this academic year and transition into the next, while our Indian curriculum students can make a successful start of the new academic year remotely.”

In response to the ongoing period of school closures and the COVID-19 lockdown, GEMS recently launch another solution, ‘Enrol from Home’, designed to help parents secure admission for their children with ease and from the comfort of their own home. Parents can enrol their children in schools by completing a simple online application form to receive a placement within 48 hours and start benefitting from the E-learning platforms and virtual classrooms. They can also opt for flexible payment options, making accessing quality education easy and affordable. In addition, GEMS has gained the support of the KHDA to extend the E-learning programme for those interested in taking advantage of GEMS’ remote learning provision beyond the current crisis.