Minister of Education, Dr. The Honorable Natalio Wheatley is currently devising a plan to reopen day cares and pre-schools within the territory.
The Minister within his address to the territory said “I am concerned about the vulnerability of our young people with the continued closure of day care centres and preschools”
“Therefore, I am encouraged that Cabinet, in its wisdom, has also decided that the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture and the Ministry of Health and Social Development should undertake further work to develop agreed protocols on safe distancing, hygiene and monitoring to enable a decision to be made in respect of the re-opening of day care centres and preschools,” he said.
The Minister is therefore requesting that all day cares and preschools engage the Ministry of Education and Environmental health to discuss health protocols that will support a quick reopening.
Following the territory-wide closure, many private school owners encountered financial difficulties and have since been calling for the reopening of the schools. In acknowledgement Minster Wheatley said “these institutions have employees in limbo and financial obligations to fulfill. ”
“While the advice of our health officials has recommended they remain closed, we cannot ignore the cries of those who look after our most precious resource—our children,” he said.
Government of the Virgin Islands recently allocated $1 million to Day cares, preschools and churches to ease some of the financial strain.