The Education Ministry on Saturday announced that schools will be reopened on November 9 for ‘face-to-face’ classes.
However, this reopening is only for students of Grades 10, 11 and 12 as preparations begin for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in 2021.
Education Minister, Priya Manickchand made the announcement at a press conference, while noting that protocols are in place to ensure that schools are safe.
This includes regular sanitisation, temperature checks and other measures. Masks and other protective gears have been procured for both teachers and students.
Meanwhile, appropriate distancing will also follow in the classroom setting.
“We remain sure that nothing we do will match the effectiveness nor replace the value of a trained teacher in front of a classroom in face-to-face engagements,” Manickchand contended.
The Ministry has also engaged the United Minibus Union, to ensure that buses are properly equipped to transport children safely.
Stakeholders are reminded that only the special arrangements are being made for students, who will be residing at dorms.
The Education Ministry got the go-ahead for the reopening of schools in the new COVID-19 Emergency Measures for November that was gazetted on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has been distributing packages – which contain workbooks and other learning materials – for those students who are learning from home.
