While the war in the Middle East shows no signs of ending soon, schools in the region are preparing for the possible return to in-person teaching.

Most notably, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar said on Monday that all schools would return from next Sunday, according to the country’s official news agency.

A school leader in the country confirmed to Tes they were working towards this deadline, although acknowledged there was “caution” around the plan.

They said: “The situation has been evolving and could well change depending on the political situation in the Middle East.

“Some families and staff remain out of the country, and schools are working through how best to support a smooth transition back, particularly if circumstances change or guidance is updated.”

Returning to in-person teaching

Meanwhile, in the United Arab Emirates, GEMS Education group chief executive officer Dino Varkey confirmed the group, which operates over 40 schools in the country, has applied to return to in-person teaching, starting with exam year cohorts.

He said: “We are working closely with the education authorities and have submitted our plans for a phased return to in-school learning, beginning with senior students in Grades 10 to 13 in selected schools, based on situation assessments.

“We are currently awaiting formal regulatory approval and will proceed once this is confirmed.”

A similar request has been made by education group Taaleem, which has 16 schools in the UAE. Its CEO Alan Williamson said that “many families are expressing confidence in a return to campus”.

However, he noted, “others prefer a more cautious approach”, and this was being considered within its plans in terms of retaining other education provisions.

Mr Williamson said: “As we move forward, we will continue to offer both hybrid and distance learning alongside any return to campus.

“This ensures that families can choose the approach that best suits their circumstances, without disruption to their child’s education.”

Plans to reopen schools

Mr Williamson noted, too, that any move towards in-person teaching would only happen with “a coordinated, sector-wide approach, with major school groups across the UAE working in alignment” - and the necessary regulatory approvals.

Those have been made to the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge and the UAE Ministry of Education.

So far, KHDA has confirmed that schools must continue to deliver distance learning until the start of April, and a final decision rests with the Ministry of Education.

In a post on X, KHDA said: “To ensure the safety of students, KHDA confirms the continuation of distance learning across all private educational institutions in Dubai until Friday, April, 3 2026.”

Without these approvals, no return will happen - something one leader said remains hard to imagine at times: “It’s really mixed as there are still daily alarms; all schools discussing [returning] but mixed feelings.”

In Bahrain, meanwhile, there has been no communication from the education ministry about whether or not it is considering any plan to return, although leaders there suggest the move by Qatar could have an impact on its thinking. They note, though, that many in the country want closures to remain in place.

Any re-openings would also be complicated by the fact that some teachers left the region when the war began and would now find it hard to return, given that travel to the region remains highly restricted.

Despite these difficulties, schools have pivoted rapidly to deliver remote teaching and support parents and pupils with the situation they are facing.