Hundreds of students yesterday returned to school for face-to-face classes including those from Grades 8 and 9 who had been home for months because of COVID-19 restrictions.
With schools returning to physical classrooms for most grades during the Easter Term, this newspaper visited some schools and observed that as mandated by the Ministry of Education (MoE), students were wearing face masks as they engaged each other. However, some students could be seen wearing their masks below their nose. During the morning, students who had to board public transportation were seen along the roads, masks on and in their uniforms.
According to posts by the MoE, students turned out to attend classes across the regions. When this newspaper visited St Joseph High, Queen’s College, Tutorial Secondary, St Pius Primary, North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary, New Campbellville Secondary, East Ruimveldt Secondary, Brickdam Secondary, Dolphin Secon-dary, Carmel Secondary and Rama Krishna Primary, scores of students had turned up for face-to-face classes.
In December, the MoE announced that full-time face-to-face learning would resume for some academic levels. Education Minister Priya Manickchand had said that students were given sufficient time to get vaccinated. Further, she said that the students cannot remain at home any longer due to the learning loss incurred. Manickchand said that the schools would be reopened with the necessary facilities to achieve a safe return.
According to the schedule, pupils at the nursery level will attend face-to-face learning as of January 3, and sessions will be for four hours each day. The schools will use a rotation system. At the primary level pupils will have online and face-to-face classes which will see them attending physical classes on a rotation schedule. At the secondary level, students of Grade Seven will have face-to-face and online classes. When attending face-to-face classes the students will use a rotation system. The Grades Eight to Twelve classes will have face-to-face only classes. These students will have classes every day.
The minister also said that while the schools will be conducting physical classes, the ministry will be working closely with the Ministry of Health to know when the vaccines will become available for the younger children to be inoculated and so allow them return to full-time classes. Students who do not wish to return to such classes will be required to continue learning through the assistance provided by the MoE, such as the ministry’s website. Parents are responsible for ensuring that the students are learning at home so as to avoid more learning loss. Manickchand also disclosed that the number of vaccinated teachers had risen above 70 per cent in December. She added that 79 per cent of the teachers at Nursery and Secondary levels for the coastal regions have been vaccinated with 71 per cent at the secondary level. Some regions are still showing hesitancy.
The ministry said that students must sanitize as often as possible when attending face-to-face classes. The requirement of face masks will be enforced and it is highly recommended that learners 12 years and above be fully vaccinated. Masks and sanitizers are to be distributed to the students.
