While President Irfaan Ali has declared that schools will reopen in September, a mere five weeks away, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has said it cannot support the move until clear safety protocols are agreed with the union for the protection of both teachers and learners.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at State House on Thursday, Ali explained that the medium to long term impact of COVID-19 is likely to be felt in the education system and he expressed concern about the number of children who have left the school system since the pandemic forced schools to close their doors.
“We have to get back to school. We have to put measures in place. Teachers have to be vaccinated and [the government] has to create conditions to ensure that we get back to school,” Ali declared.