Education Ministry evaluating resumption of face-to-face teaching for primary school students

Education Minister Fayval Williams says the Government is considering resuming in-person classes for primary school students and should be able to inform the public of its position soon.

“We are talking with the Ministry of Health to see how quickly ... to see what their thinking is and how we can begin to bring our primary school students back,” Williams told The Gleaner today.

“So, we haven't made a final decision on that yet because again we have to be guided by the Ministry of Health and Wellness. But, like everyone else, we are anxious to get our children back in the face-to-face mode, and safely as we can, and I am sure within another week or so we will be able to say something more definitively to our parents,” she added.

Williams noted that the education ministry had been targeting the resumption of face-to-face teaching for primary schools before the current spike in COVID-19 cases, but this plan had to be put on hold in light of the situation.

“We had indicated that we had to look differently at our primary versus our high schools because of the fact that at our primary school students are not able to take vaccination versus the high schools.”

In the meantime, she said school facilities that have been flagged for issues are being prepared for the pending resumption of face-to-face classes and are to be inspected by the health ministry.

When asked if it is a possibility that in-person classes may not resume at all for the remainder of the school year, the education minister said, “It is our hope that we will have some of it this year. It is our expectation and we are doing everything to be ready for that moment.”

- Tanesha Mundle

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.