School resumes for students prepping for CSEC

Students at Christ Church Secondary school.

There seems to be a sizable turn out as schools have been reopened to accommodate students preparing to write Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) next year and the following year. School has been reopened amidst public criticisms and as four Region Nine students were tested positive for COVID 19 upon their arrival in the city for schooling.
The usual noise associated with schools could not be heard today when we made some checks at schools around the city. The number of students who returned to school were much less since only Grades 10 to 12 students are required to be in class.  At some of the schools we visited, classes were in session as furniture were placed far apart in keeping with the public health measures. Upon entering some schools, persons were seen testing the temperature of students and parents alike.

Bottles of handwashing liquid line this facility outside of St John’s High School

“We are happy with the work we have done,” Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson said this morning referring to the preparatory work done by the ministry and especially teachers to get the schools ready.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips and CEO Marcel Hutson inspecting a school. (MOE Photo)

The CEO in defending the Ministry’s move to reopen schools said that COVID 19 will be around and and such the reopening is inevitable, “some of these children, they have a desire to go to universities abroad, they want to have scholarships, so we cannot afford to have them locked away all the time,” Hutson said.

Works ongoing to complete hand washing facility at Brickdam Secondary School.

Hand washing facilities are available at all the schools we visited in the city, only at one school, Brickdam Secondary, we saw workmen finishing up works on the facility there. At some schools, there were no visible hand washing liquid while at others there were. This morning, the CEO said the ministry will continue to work with the schools to ensure that the public health measures are met, “this is why it is important that all stakeholders come on board, this is not a Ministry of Education thing, this is about a whole nation, the survival of a this country,” Hutson said.