Dubai: The Ministry of Education has given schools the authority to call off classes if the school, its facilities or the roads leading to it are affected or damaged by heavy rains.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit the UAE on Monday afternoon, and there are chances of rain in the next 24 hours, Met officials said. The ministry left the evaluation of schools' conditions to the heads of educational administrative regions.

Rashid lkhraibani Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Ministry of Education, said that students' safety was a priority.