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Officials tour schools; check readiness

by Anesta Henry
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When the new school term begins on Monday, students and staff at three schools will utilize the online classroom until the maintenance works have been completed.

During a tour of several schools today to observe their state of readiness, Acting Chief Education Officer Joy Adamson announced that St Luke’s Brighton, St Martin’s Mangrove and St Giles Primary, which were involved in this year’s Domestic Summer Programme, will not be ready to commence classes at the physical plants because repair works are still ongoing.

Adamson said that the principals and staff at these institutions have decided that classes will be held online, except for Class 4 students, who will engage in five days of face to face learning at alternative sites.

“I would have done a poll with the principals and majority of the principals would have informed their parents on the expectations. They have been meeting by year groups, they have been meeting by year levels to inform of how the school should look and what is supposed to happen.

“As we speak, I am aware that at St Giles Primary, they have been issued with the additional tablets that they need because all the schools would have updated their database as it relates to students requiring tablets.

“We are making sure that those three schools that would have to start online, that all of their pupils have indicated that they need a device, that they have the devices. So they are in the process now of distributing those,” Adamson said.

The education officer indicated that parents of the Class 4 students of the three schools will be informed about temporary locations where their children’s classes will be held.

Adamson also said that while principals of secondary schools have informed the Ministry that they are still in the process of putting plans in place for the start of the new term, parents are being asked to be patient and understanding that adjustments will have to be made to timetables and other arrangements.

She said there will not be any strict teaching sessions during the first week of school to ensure that schools become accustomed to the COVID-19 protocols for schools.

“We also have specific protocols for the special needs as well, and those special needs children will have different arrangements and those protocols have been added to the original list,” she said.

The Chief Education Officer said while some teachers unions have raised concerns about social distancing, the Ministry of Health led by the Director of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit Ronald Chapman, has assured the Ministry that if the desks or chairs are placed six feet apart the children can remove their masks while sitting.

“If the school has arranged the furniture for three feet, the teachers have been encouraged and the teachers have been asked to allow the students to have those mask breaks where they can pull the mask down if they become uncomfortable, if they in any way need to remove it for a while, they can remove it in a safe environment. All other times when the student is on that compound, they will be wearing their masks,” Adamson said.

The Ministry official also indicated that schools will not be able to accommodate all their students in the classroom setting, and have sought alternative sites. The Ministry has made sure that there is public liability insurance at those locations, in addition to security personnel and cleaning personnel.

“School meals will be as normal and they will be delivered to the schools. Some of the sites are close to the schools that the students can actually walk back to school to get their school meals. Then some of the schools are actually using disposable containers and the School Meals would have been informed by the schools of these particular locations”.

Adamson said the Ministry is encouraging parents to lend their support to schools as students return to changes to the normal functioning of these institutions, in light of the COVID-19 environment.

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