Government pulls back amid increased COVID cases

Responding to what it called “caution lights” at schools engaged in face-to-face learning, the Government has decided to bring an end to the experiment with immediate effect.

Fayval Williams, minister of education, youth and information, addressing this morning’s (February 24) post-Cabinet press briefing, told journalists that, as of today, only students preparing for exit exams should be engaged in face-to-face classes.

The amendment was announced with a focus for classes to cater to only exit exam grades for the time being.

Williams explained further that the adjustment comes as several schools see a sharp increase in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.

Despite the relative spike in COVID-19 cases in the learning population, Williams contended that many schools have done well to manage suspected and confirmed infections.

“In all the cases brought to our attention, the schools have handled it according to the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ protocols. Our risk-based model that has guided us continues to be used. We continue to input new data that we receive into the model and as we analyse the data, we cannot ignore the caution lights that we are seeing,” she asserted.

“There has to be an adjustment in [going] foward with our schools and at this time, we’ve indicated that schools that are open for face-to-face [learning] are only allowed to have our exit exam students,” Williams added.

This, Williams explained, would allow for the continue tutelage of students in grade six at the primary level as well as high school students in grades 11, 12 and 13.

The measure will remain in effect until further notice.

On a national scale, the Ministry of Education has identified 41 schools so affected by COVID-19 as at Sunday, February 21, with 47 students confirmed as infected and six suspected cases, as well as 23 teacher confirmed coronavirus-positive and 18 suspected.

The ministry rebooted face-to-face learning in November 2020, with a pilot of 17 approved schools. To date, over 400 schools have been approved for face-to-face learning, 300 of which have actually resumed classes.

Williams asserted that across the island, schools have mostly succeeded at adherring to the COVID-prevention and containment protocols.

“Schools are careful to ensure students have masks, although some schools have gone too far to dictate what masks students would wear. Of course, the Ministry of Education has been in touch with these schools to let them know that they to be more flexible,” Williams said.

“One of the mechanisms that we’ve put in place and require of our schools, is that they report to the Ministry of Education religiously in terms of any incidence of actual or suspected cases. Not only that, but they have top report, as well, the action [taken] once this is presented to them—so that at the ministry we understand the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on our schools and exactly whether it’s our students or teachers or other support staff being [affected],” she argued further.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Education is recommending that the learning process continue for all students, however, returning to engagement through established modalities to include online classes, televised programming and digital workbooks and lessons.