As we've been reporting, two more schools were forced to respond this week after a COVID case or cases were detected inside their walls.
The occurrences rattle the student bodies and the community - but the Ministry of Education has to keep an even keel, careful not to over react while assuring student safety and wellbeing.
Today, the Minister of Education spoke about that balancing act as they build up to September when they want to open all schools in September:
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
"We have to be guided by our public health officials, if the Ministry of health, our public health experts, if they say to the Ministry of education at any time it is not safe for us to have our schools open for face to face instruction then those, our schools will be closed. But that is not the position of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Health working along with the Ministry of Education has put in place very clear, precise protocols and procedures for how we conduct ourselves at schools. As long as all of us collectively meaning teachers, students, families as long as we all continue to do our part we will be able to have a phased approach to the re-opening of schools and hopefully all our schools can be open for face to face instruction in September of this year."
Cherisse Halsall:
"What's your advice to families to make sure that they follow the protocols closely?"
Hon. Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
"Again, and all of us have a responsibility here and UNICEF has certainly helped us with this, education is critical, ensuring that they know what those protocols are, what those procedures are. So, I think we have to a better job there, we always have to be working on that to ensure that our families and communities understand exactly what is expected of them and what they need to do to ensure the safety of their children and what their responsibilities are when they send their children to school."
