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With UAE schools extending distance learning after the spring break, working parents are urging employers to offer flexible or remote work options. For many, especially working mothers those without support, this flexibility is crucial to manage their children’s online classes without being forced to consume their annual leave or take unpaid time off.
The recent announcement that distance learning will continue across schools and higher education institutions nationwide for two weeks following the spring break has left many mothers scrambling to find a balance between professional obligations and childcare.
Rawdha Musabbeh, a working mother of four, highlighted the immense pressure parents are currently facing. “Among the difficulties I face as a working mother managing remote work is balancing time between my job, my children’s studies, and other household responsibilities,” she said.
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Rawdha pointed out the lack of a quiet workspace and the challenges of supervising children while juggling the school assignments of each child alongside her own work tasks. “In addition to the psychological and emotional stress caused by multiple responsibilities, frequent technical issues hinder studying and take time and effort to resolve. There is also a constant feeling of guilt for not being able to fully meet the needs of both work and the children,” she added.
For parents of younger children, the situation is even more complex. Shaikha Al Shamsi, a mother from Sharjah, shared her struggle with managing her ten-month-old twins. “We are facing a lot of difficulties. I constantly have to take sick leave or use my annual leave balance just so I don’t have to go to the office and can stay with my children,” she explained.
Despite her job being capable of being done remotely, Al Shamsi noted that her employer requires her physical presence. “Even though my work can be done remotely, they say there is no decision from the Sharjah government mandating remote work. Now, I don’t know what to do next week. My leave balance is finished, and I have nothing left except sick leave.”
Distance learning for student safety
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research announced the measure to ensure student safety and maintain continuity in the education process.
Classes had initially shifted online from March 2 following regional tensions, before authorities announced an early spring break running from March 9 to March 22 .
For most international curriculum schools, online classes will resume from Monday, March 23. However, timelines differ for Indian curriculum schools, with institutions under the Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) shifting to online learning from March 30 until April 6.
While the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has announced flexible remote work arrangements for employees in federal ministries and entities who are caregivers for their children, many parents in the private sector or local government departments are still waiting for similar directives to help them navigate this challenging period.
Source: Khaleej Times