JEDDAH: The start of a new school year has brought disappointment for some Saudi students and parents over what they say are 鈥渦nrealistic expectations鈥� in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Classes in the Kingdom will be held online for at least the first seven weeks when the school year gets underway on Sunday.

However, students were told on Friday they must wear their school uniform before logging into the 鈥淢adrasati鈥� platform to join virtual classes.

Saudi Education Minister Hamad Al-Shaikh also said that students must prepare their desks, take part in morning exercises and sing the national anthem 鈥渋n order to create a school-like atmosphere at home鈥� 鈥� a notion that didn鈥檛 sit well with some students or their parents.

Zainab Jamal Suleiman, a stay-at-home mother to two elementary students, said that insisting on the school鈥檚 morning routine at home will not bring any results.

鈥淲ith all due respect, I think the idea of creating an environment for the children by having them sing the national anthem and do morning exercises is a bit much,鈥� she told Arab News.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it will help the students. They have already experienced online learning for more than three months last semester; they won鈥檛 feel it (school atmosphere),鈥� she said.

Suleiman said that the 鈥渕orning routine鈥� will be an added burden for students already facing a difficult situation, with some starting classes later in the day.

Applying the school鈥檚 morning routine at home will encourage students in their studies.

Bayan Al-Yafei

The ministry previously announced that intermediate and high school students will start classes at 9 a.m. and elementary school students at 3 p.m.

鈥淗aving them sing the national anthem and wear their uniforms is not going to help. On the contrary, they will feel like it鈥檚 a burden; they just want to get classes over with and finish their day,鈥� she said.

鈥淗aving them do this every day will not help them feel they are part of a school community.鈥�

Suleiman also took issue with the requirement that students wear school uniforms at home, saying that many children had outgrown their uniforms.

鈥淎m I going to pay for a new school uniform for this year while they鈥檙e at home? These requirements shouldn鈥檛 be mandatory, they should be optional,鈥� she said.

Sharing the same view, 12th grade student Leena Sharawani said she is 鈥渘ot too happy鈥� about the morning routine at home, especially since students won鈥檛 be using webcams while taking part in classes.

鈥淚鈥檓 not really excited about it. We鈥檙e already waking up so early and having to put on a uniform sounds too much like a burden,鈥� she told Arab News.

However, Sharawani said she is looking forward to reading the Qur鈥檃n, singing the national anthem and performing exercises. 鈥淭hey bring a sense of familiarity and make me feel like I am in school.鈥�

Other parents have welcomed the ministry鈥檚 recommendations. Psychologist Bayan Al-Yafei said that applying the school鈥檚 morning routine at home will encourage students in their studies.

鈥淚 dress my third grader properly and fix her hair neatly 鈥� all that grooming to prepare her and boost her self esteem for her studies,鈥� she told Arab News.

Even though classes will be online, Al-Yafei also wrapped her daughter鈥檚 school books with decorative covers.

鈥淚 even bought her a file, although there won鈥檛 be any paper exercises. But I will create them for her. I bought her a new pen and pencil set, pencil case and stickers to encourage her and add excitement to the new academic year.鈥�