Emirates: Schools and universities in Dubai will be allowed to open and operate from the start of the 2020/21 academic year, the emirate's Dubai's education regulator, Knowledge and Human Development Authority ( KHDA) has confirmed on its website.

In its updated FAQs section, the authority said the education facilities will reopen provided they comply with specific health and safety protocols.

In response to a question on whether all schools would reopen, the KHDA said: "Schools in Dubai differ in terms of size, location and number of students. In order to comply with health and safety guidelines, schools may choose models that best suit their circumstances and community."

According to the KHDA, these can include:

»Being open to all students all the time
»Continuing to do distance learning part-time
»Scheduling lessons in staggered 'shifts'
»Other creative solutions

"We ask schools to consult with parents, teachers and students when choosing the best model for them," the authority said.

This comes after the Ministry of Education issued a set of guidelines for a possible reopening of schools, universities and nurseries in the next academic year in September.