Education Ministry providing over $430M to schools ahead of full resumption of face-to-face classes

The Ministry of Education is to provide schools with $430,850,000 to help offset costs associated with the full resumption of in-person teaching, which is to begin on Monday, March 7.

The Ministry says the sums will be transferred to schools' accounts by Friday, March 4.

It indicated that principals of infant, primary and secondary level schools were assured of additional financial and resources support at a meeting held last week Thursday.

It noted that the virtual meeting was attended by over 700 representatives from schools.

In addition, the Ministry says it will continue to procure and deliver furniture to infant and primary schools as per expressed need. 

Portfolio Minister Fayval Williams noted that the Ministry has committed to provide schools with:

Test kits - 5,000 have already been distributed and

400,000 masks that are already in hand and will be distributed at the regional level

Meanwhile, Dr Nicole Dawkins Wright from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, who also addressed the meeting, advised that with all students now being in school and the social distancing system being effectively relaxed, a revised control entry, monitoring and management of students will be needed.

She indicated that schools will only be required to do a quick scanning of students on entry and screening processes throughout the day for signs or symptoms of illness and record the temperatures of students above 37.5 degrees Celsius.

If it is at 38 degrees and above, they should be removed to isolation rooms for further assessment guided by the ill-person protocol already shared with schools.
 
Students will still be encouraged to sanitise their hands frequently and wear masks to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

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