Hundreds of students have returned to a blended approach of face-to-face and online learning for the start of the 13-week final term of the 2021-2022 school year.
Even though there were scattered showers across the island, principals and teachers who returned to school on Monday, welcomed their students today.
When Barbados TODAY visited several schools, students were already in their classes and principals reported that despite the rain, students dressed in full uniform turned up for school early and had settled in without any major hiccups.
Mitchelle Maxwell, the principal of the Springer Memorial Secondary School said she was happy that preparations put in place during the Easter holiday had borne fruit. She said Springer was 100 per cent ready and compliant relative to the COVID-19 protocols making it easier for teaching to begin.
“I am also happy to say that we continue to have examinations taking place and exams were actually going on during the holiday break as well. We are very happy with the support from our ancillary team regarding the readiness of the plant, as well as assistance from the Ministry of Education relative to the protective equipment and supplies.
“Colleagues are very much here and students are ready for the start of business and we trust that God will continue to be with us as we go through this term mindful of the protocols as we seek to dispense education and ensure that all persons are protected who come onto the campus. Our students are about the business of education and they arrived very early this morning ready for the start of business, so the showers were no deterrent,” Maxwell said.
Over at the neighbouring Charles F. Broome, Principal Dr Monica Walton reported that all students scheduled to be at school were present. She said students in classes 3 and 4 are expected to attend face-to-face classes every day of the school week, while students from reception through to Class 2, engage in a blended style of learning.
She said even though it was a rainy morning, she noticed that students were excited and eager to be back in the physical classroom.
“We have had an amazing start so far. I do not foresee any challenges. At the end of the last school year we did our evaluation and there are one or two things that we have put in place to rectify some of the challenges that we were having at that time. Our major challenge is that we had some of the students coming to school while they are ill and the Minister of Education and the Chief Education Officer spoke to that when the press conference was held last week.
“We also had persons mixing up the groups, but again we continue to send home that vital information. I would have alerted parents directly after the press conference about the format and teachers would have done so using the G Suite Classroom space and the class representatives that we have in place would have communicated that information to parents as well, so they should be well informed,” Dr Walton said.
Principal at the Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School Annette Alleyne said that all of her students are to attend face-to-face classes from Monday through to Thursday, with Friday being used for an online worship session.
However, she said students who need to engage in practical sessions, will report to the physical plant on Fridays if the request is made by a teacher.
Alleyne said there was a need to relocate one class to facilitate a Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) Spanish oral.
“We had to make sure that the Supervisor of Exams and the children were where they were supposed to be, and we had to make sure that the students who were displaced were where they were supposed to be. Our students usually come and settle in because they know where they are supposed to go.,” Alleyne said.
Students started arriving as early as 7 a.m. at Erdiston Special School, according to Principal Donna Holder. She said classes started at the institution without any major issues. Due to specific challenges encountered in the past, she noted, students of the Special School will attend face-to-face classes.
“We have enough space thanks to the Erdiston Teachers’ College. We have two prefab buildings from the college so we have more than enough space to house our students,” Holder added. (AH)
