Abu Dhabi enforces strict distance learning rules, attendance and live classes now mandatory / Image: File

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge has introduced strict distance learning rules in Abu Dhabi, making live online classes and mandatory attendance tracking mandatory for all schools.ADEK said the updated framework is designed to align distance learning with in-person classroom standards, ensuring consistent teaching quality, student discipline and academic outcomes across the emirate.

Abu Dhabi’s Online Class Attendance Rules

Under the new framework, students’ attendance during online classes is no longer flexible and must be recorded formally just like physical class attendance.Schools must now:

Students are expected to:

This step ensures that distance learning is given the same importance as classroom learning, thereby reducing passive or irregular participation.

Live class mandatory

A major highlight of the updated rules is to make live, real-time teaching the primary method of instruction.ADEK has directed schools to give priority to interactive live classes where students can directly connect with teachers, ask questions and get immediate feedback. This approach aims to improve understanding and keep students actively engaged.Recorded lessons are still allowed, but only as supplemental material. They cannot replace live teaching, which marks a clear shift from the passive teaching methods used previously.

School responsibilities under ADEK regulations

The new framework places stronger accountability on schools and teachers to ensure high-quality online education.Schools must implement structured programmes, monitor lesson delivery and ensure that teaching remains interactive and effective. Also, teachers are expected to conduct engaging sessions, regularly assess student progress, and provide ongoing feedback.ADEK has also highlighted the importance of maintaining a balanced learning environment, including managing screen time and supporting students’ well-being.

Abu Dhabi Digital Learning Strategy 2026

The strict rules reflect Abu Dhabi’s broader effort to establish a long-term, structured digital education model rather than relying on temporary remote learning solutions.According to ADEK, the updated rules aim to improve learning outcomes, strengthen student participation and ensure that distance learning meets the same standards as classroom teaching.The move signals a more disciplined and regulated approach to online schooling in Abu Dhabi, with clear expectations for both students and teachers.

The Artemis II crew’s 10-day journey around Earth and the Moon – Timeline of NASA’s historic lunar missions

NASA’s Artemis II mission ended with a perfect splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, ending a nearly 10-day journey that took four astronauts farther from Earth than any humans had gone before. The Orion capsule “Integrity” landed by parachute in calm waters off California, with all crew members confirmed safe.Traveling a total of 694,392 miles (more than 1.1 million km), the mission marked humanity’s first crewed trip around the Moon since the Apollo era and an important step toward future lunar landings.

Here is a timeline of the Artemis II mission:

1–2 April: Launch, orbit and critical system verification

The mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on April 1 aboard NASA’s Space Launch System. After separation, Orion entered Earth orbit, where astronauts conducted extensive checks on life-support systems, propulsion, avionics, and solar arrays.This stage served as “shakedown cruise”, ensuring that the spacecraft could safely support human life before committing to deep space travel. Engineers also verified the launch abort system and onboard batteries, which are critical for emergency scenarios.

April 2–5: Translunar injection and deep space transit

On April 2, Orion performed a powerful translunar injection burn, accelerating to approximately 22,000 mph and setting course for the Moon. Over the next three days, the crew traveled approximately 240,000 miles, crossing the Van Allen radiation belts and entering deep space.Astronauts conducted experiments on the effects of microgravity, monitoring navigation systems, radiation shielding, and spacecraft autonomy. The spacecraft operated largely on automated systems, requiring minimal human intervention.

5–6 April: Closest approach and record-breaking lunar flight

Around April 5, Artemis II reached the Moon, executing a close flyby that brought it within a few thousand miles of the lunar surface. The crew took high-resolution images and studied the lunar terrain, including target areas for future missions.Using the Moon’s gravity, Orion performed a slingshot maneuver to begin its return journey. During this phase, the mission set a new record by traveling 252,756 miles from Earth – surpassing the Apollo 13 record.The flyby also marked a historic milestone, including the first woman in the crew, the first black astronaut, and the first non-American to participate in a lunar mission.

April 6–10: Return journey and re-entry preparations

The return phase lasted for the next three to four days, during which the crew conducted final system checks and scientific observations. Engineers closely monitored the spacecraft’s heat shield performance data in preparation for re-entry, considered the most dangerous phase of the mission.Following lessons learned from the Artemis I test flight, Orion’s trajectory was carefully adjusted to minimize heat stress.

April 11: High-risk re-entry and ‘perfect bulls-eye’ splashdown

On April 11, Orion re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at 32 times the speed of sound. Temperatures reached nearly 5,000°F as the capsule encountered intense friction and ionized plasma caused a loss of contact for more than six minutes, Reuters reports.Contact was restored moments before the parachute deployed, slowing the capsule to about 25 km/h before precise splashdown. NASA commentators described it as “a perfect bull’s-eye splashdown”.Recovery teams from NASA and the US Navy secured the capsule within two hours. The astronauts were taken via helicopter to the USS John P Murtha for medical examinations before returning to Houston.The mission’s success validates key technologies required for future Artemis missions, including the planned crewed moon landing, and reinforces NASA’s overarching goal of sending humans to Mars.

According to CNN, US intelligence assessments indicate that China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks.The development comes as China has publicly said it helped support efforts for a fragile ceasefire that halted the recent US-Iran conflict.It also comes ahead of expected high-level talks, with US President Donald Trump scheduled to visit China next month for discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping.The intelligence findings suggest that despite international scrutiny, Iran may use the ceasefire period to rebuild parts of its air defense network with the assistance of its key partners.CNN quoted sources as saying that there are indications that China is attempting to route the shipments through third countries to conceal their origin. The systems under discussion are shoulder-fired anti-air missiles, known as MANPADS, which could pose a serious threat to low-flying military aircraft.These systems had already played a significant role during the five-week conflict, where such weapons posed a risk to US aircraft operating in the area. Officials said they could become a threat again if the ceasefire is broken.A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington rejected the allegations, saying China had not supplied weapons to any side in the conflict.“China has never provided weapons to any party in the conflict; the information in question is untrue.”The spokesperson said China, as a “responsible major country”, is committed to international obligations and urged the United States to refrain from making baseless claims.The embassy had earlier said China was working to support efforts to end the conflict and promote a ceasefire.The intelligence also comes amid broader geopolitical tensions over Iran’s military capabilities. During the conflict, Trump said an F-15 fighter jet was reportedly shot down by a “handheld shoulder missile”.Iran separately claimed that it had used a ‘new’ air defense system in the attack. Currently, Chinese companies are believed to be already supplying Iran with approved dual-use technologies that can support weapons development and navigation systems. However, the direct transfer of entire weapons systems by the Chinese state would represent a significantly higher level of involvement.China is also preparing for high-level engagement with the United States, with Trump expected to meet Xi in Beijing next month. The White House said diplomatic contacts between US and Chinese officials were continuing while ceasefire talks involving Iran were underway.A source familiar with the intelligence assessment said China is unlikely to openly engage in the conflict because it sees little strategic benefit in a confrontation with the US and Israel.Instead, Beijing is believed to aim to preserve its relationship with Iran while preserving potential international denial.Officials also highlight that China could argue that the systems are defensive in nature, which differentiates them from offensive weapons supplied by other countries involved in the conflict. For example, Russia has been accused of providing intelligence support to Iran during the war, while China and Russia maintain extensive strategic ties with Tehran.Iran has long-standing military and economic ties with both countries. It has supplied Shaheed drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine war, while also exporting a significant portion of its sanctioned oil to China.