Sheikh Mohammed marks return to school, praising the UAE's resilience in education
Monday April 20 marked more than just the end of a prolonged period of distance learning for the UAE — it carried with it a message from the country's leadership, recognising the resolve shown by students, educators, and institutions throughout weeks of regional uncertainty.
A message to students
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, took to his X account to mark the occasion. "Our sons and daughters, the students, resume in-person classes today across all our universities and schools, after our education system proved its exceptional ability to maintain full continuity under the circumstances the region has experienced," he said.
The Vice President's words extended beyond an acknowledgement of the return itself, speaking directly to the role students play in the nation's story. "We are a nation that does not stop at challenges. We are a nation that never stops learning and teaching. We are a nation whose progress does not pause and whose development does not stall," he said.
Closing his message with a direct address to the student community, Sheikh Mohammed added: "We are a nation that believes in you, and builds its future through you, with you, and for you."
A system that held
The return to campuses follows a period of sustained distance learning that began on March 2, prompted by regional security developments linked to the US-Israel-Iran conflict. Throughout that period, schools, universities, and regulators worked to ensure that learning continued without interruption — a continuity that Sheikh Mohammed's statement acknowledged as a mark of the UAE's broader character and resilience.
Source:
Gulf News — "Sheikh Mohammed: UAE students resume in-person learning after proving resilience" by Khitam Al Amir (April 20, 2026). Read the full article.
