All face-to-face schooling to return by end of January

Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley has informed the public that face-to-face schooling will start to resume next Monday, January, 24. 

However, this resumption only applies to certain categories of students; particularly those with special needs.

Other students are expected to resume face-to-face classes on January 31, Dr Wheatley disclosed while appearing on the Morning Braff radio show recently.

Meanwhile, Dr Wheatley acknowledged the difficulty being faced with the current COVID-19 spike in the territory. 

“I know it’s difficult, this spike that we have is very disruptive to our different institutions like school; disruptive to businesses; disruptive to everybody,” the Education Minister said. 

He continued: “When people catch COVID-19 they have to go home. That includes teachers, that includes students, and of course, it’s our duty to ensure that persons remain safe as well.”

Dr Wheatley added that the government also recognises that some students are disadvantaged with online learning and noted that the government wanted to re-institute face-to-face learning as quickly as it was safe to do so. 

No mass testing for students

Addressing the concerning issue of testing for students, Dr Wheatley said there will be no ‘mass testing’ regime implemented. 

He said more updates will be provided this week on how testing will be conducted as well as further details of how students will be returning to school. 

He encouraged persons to do their own research regarding the virus and testing.

Students were forced to revert to online schooling at the start of the new school term as the territory experienced a significant surge in positive COVID-19 cases. 

Cases have since begun to fall significantly and now stand at 899 based on the most recent COVID epidemiological summary released late yesterday.