AFTER months of consultation with various stakeholders, schools on Monday resumed physical operations for the third term of the 2020/21 academic year.
Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development Hon. Dr. Gale Rigobert, has commended educators, parents and guardians for the support afforded students during their distributive learning while at home, which she has acknowledged was difficult for many who had to make the necessary adjustments.
“We continue to offer the requisite training to our teachers to ensure that they are fully prepared to embrace these challenges, while also equipping our students with devices and connectivity in this new environment,” Dr. Rigobert says.
According to the Minister, from all indications the transition back to the classroom setting has been generally smooth, with the Department of Education and the Ministry of Health working closely, to ensure that protocols are adhered to.
Educational institutions will operate from Monday to Friday based on the established school hours. Some schools will adopt a “Whole School Approach”, based on physical infrastructure and school population. Other schools will operate using the “Alternate-Day system” – six-day cycle, thus providing at least three days of face-to-face instruction to students.
As per the national COVID-19 protocols, mass crowd gatherings are not permissible at this time and sporting activities are limited to small group physical engagement and non-contact sporting activities.
“Of paramount importance are the health and safety of our students and staff and we will continue to monitor the situation moving forward,” Hon. Dr. Gale Rigobert says.