Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

With the beginning of the new year, public and private schools in the UAE welcomed students back to the classroom offering them face-to-face learning opportunity.

However, there has been a record enrollment in online schools.

These schools are attributing their success to factors including the flexibility of online courses, new lucrative activities and access to international quality standards.

For example, the only KHDA licensed online school, iCademy Middle East, is experiencing an exponential increase in its enrollment.

This is the highest enrollment jump in the school’s history, opening up avenues for the application process for the 2021-2022.

iCademy ME has various start dates throughout January until April and students can transfer this spring to study their second term at the school.

Online schooling can be tailored to fit individual academic needs.

Students move through the curriculum at their own pace and can complete advanced work in subjects at their grade level or a higher one.

If you have just arrived at Dubai or your child has been out of school then you can also apply to study with iCademy this January and start from the very beginning of the school year during our January start dates.

The flexible schedule and start dates allow students to transfer or start the year at the online school any time. Admission is open to all students across GCC, including current public and private school students.

Currently, approximately 600 students use the iCademy Middle East programme. Enrolment numbers are projected to grow substantially for the 2020-21 school year.

Studies indicate that parents choose online schooling for children for many reasons, but mostly because of the convenience. It helps them to be on their own schedule and can also offers them more control over what and how their children learn. For some others, online school is a good platform for children to learn about independence and responsibility.

Although computers are a big part of online education, much of the actual work is completed in the same way as it is in a traditional school. Kids still read books, fill out worksheets, write papers, complete science experiments, and take quizzes and tests.

Given the current situation, and the way digital learning is evolving, online schooling is certainly the way forward.