All schools in the British Virgin Islands will be allowed to reopen for the 2021-2022 academic school year with face-to-face instruction from Monday September 6.
This announcement was made by Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley during a late-night press conference on Tuesday August 10.
He said, “All schools, public and private would be allowed to open and students will be free to return to school campuses and engage in face-to-face instruction for the 2021-2022 academic year. This decision has been made because we recognise that there are some students who will benefit from being in the classroom environment and we are laser focused on our student’s success.”
He added, “We must also keep our students safe, therefore, these schools are mandated to abide by the well-established protocols successfully implemented in the previous academic year. And we will take measures to ensure that these measures are adhered to because we cannot afford to take chances with our students or teachers’ health.”
Dr. Wheatley also said that the new school year will begin in just under two weeks, in conjunction with the annual teacher’s professional day.
“The academic school year will begin on Monday 23rd of August with Virtual Professional Day for all educators in the territory. ‘Educating All in Changing Times, Every Learning Succeeds’ will be the theme for this school year. Our theme is a continuation from the one from last year, but expanded to further emphasize our intention to make sure that every learner will have success in their academic pursuits,” he explained.
The Teacher’s Professional Day will commence a week-long of activities which according to Dr. Wheatley will see sessions being held from Tuesday August 24 to Friday August 27.
The week of August 30 will include staff meetings, student orientations and kindergarten readiness assessments for incoming kindergarten students in all primary schools. This will take place from the 30th August to the 3rd of September.
New and transfer students will have orientation from September 2 and returning students on September 3. The official start day for classes in all public and private schools will be Monday September 6.
All primary schools are expected to return to a full school day of face to face instruction from 8:40am to 3:30pm.