outside the Kingdom of Bahrain, to take these tests in their schools in accordance with the precautionary controls. 13. When students were allowed to go back to schools, and in-person instructions resumed, the Ministry prepared guidelines entitled “Back to School Guidelines” for all educational institutions. The aim of the Guidelines is to provide a safe environment and to guide educational and administrative bodies and students on how to deal with any suspected case of infection with Covid-19. The Guidelines included a list organizing precautionary measures and preventive health and safety measures for the safe return to schools. 14. Moreover, the Ministry has sterilized school and kindergarten buildings, as well as prepared a training program on procedures for disinfecting buildings using products approved by the competent authorities in the Kingdom and in accordance with the applicable standards and requirements in this field, in cooperation with the General Directorate of Civil Defense. 15. In cooperation with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry organized awareness campaigns, electronic lectures, and training programs on the prevention of Covid-19 and curbing its spread. All school and kindergarten staff were also directed to adhere to precautionary and preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus, based on the recommendations, health guidelines and directives issued by the National Taskforce for Combating the Corona virus (COVID-19), the Ministry of Health, and the Civil Service Bureau. In addition, the Ministry conducted a number of inspection visits to public and private schools and kindergartens to ensure their compliance with preventive measures and health guidelines. 16. The Ministry resorted to shortening the curricula provided via distance learning by focusing on the basic competencies and developed student assessment mechanisms and distribution of grades for each academic stage, while providing schools with a detailed guideline for exceptional students’ assessment procedures, including directions through which approved assessment methods in distance learning are applied. 17. In addition, summer vacation activities and programs for students were implemented remotely, as well as the participation of talented students in regional and international competitions. The summer enrichment program was organized remotely in 2020. A series of psychological adaptation programs were prepared to rehabilitate children, particularly students to return to school. Ninth Annual Report of the NIHR 81