The Ministry of Education will be conducting a survey to assess whether teachers and parents are comfortable with recommencing face-to-face learning in public and private schools ahead of the 2021-2022 academic school year.
This is according to the Education Minister Dr. Natalio Wheatley who made the disclosure during a recent media briefing.
Dr. Wheatley said his ministry is aware that the return of physical teaching in classrooms may present some challenges for some parents and teachers, hence the decision to conduct a survey to gain more insight to these challenges to develop a mutually beneficial solution.
He said, “The decision to return our children to schools will, no doubt, cause some trepidation to some parents or even some teachers. We are sensitive to your concerns. To get a greater appreciation of how many persons may be uncomfortable with returning to the school environment, the Ministry will conduct a survey next week to ascertain the numbers and understand the concerns. The findings of the survey will guide and help to determine possible alternatives, such as an online option.”
“In addition to this survey, teachers with underlying health conditions and other physical challenges, who are experiencing some level of discomfort with the idea of face to face instruction should write to their principal who will inform the Ministry. Each case will be considered on an individual basis,” he added.
The education minister said the decision to resume face-to-face instruction was needed to allow those children who were disadvantaged by remote learning to get back on track with their studies.
“This decision has been made because we recognize that there are some students who will benefit from being in the classroom environment, and we are laser focused on our students’ success,” he stated.
“We must also keep our children 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,” he further said.
Dr. Wheatley also asked for the cooperation and diligence of all relevant individuals to ensure that those within all schools are protected.