Official date for new school year delayed due to rise in COVID cases
Dr Wheatley
The recent increase in COVID-19 cases in the British Virgin Islands has delayed the official announcement of the date decided for the new academic school year in the territory.
This according to Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Dr Natalio Wheatley who confirmed with BVI News that Cabinet had decided on a date for the new school term prior to the new recent COVID-19 cases.
He said: “Given the case that we have, I want to hold off before I make an announcement. I plan to make a statement on it once I understand what’s happening with this particular case.”
In a local interview earlier this month, Dr Wheatley had stated that the proposed plan for the new school year was to implement a blended system of learning to include a shift system at select schools across the territory.
At the time, he also said the tentative date on the table was September 21 but was not yet decided by the Cabinet.
Measures to destigmatize COVID-19
In the meantime, Dr Wheatley told BVI News that measures are being undertaken in the education system to alleviate the stigma attached to COVID-19 in the BVI.
He said: “Definitely in the education system I can say as we prepare to go into the reopening of schools that we are going to have continued measures, as we have put measures in place before to provide psychosocial support and education about COVID-19.”
“We will make sure that the staff are trained, parents receive the information they need and students as well have a proper orientation about COVID-19 and how we deal with it in society and certainly encouraging them that there’s no need for stigma,” he added.
The BVI currently has a total of 17 active COVID-19 cases.
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Help us God
Mr whearley do all you can do to kep the children safe is school has to be done online it has to be done Just make sure that students are on line and not skipping cllasses and if they skip classes more than three times find a way to punish them because the Government is doing its best
I think the right call was made. The States that made the choice to open schools, they had to shut back down because the kids and teachers were testing positive. It is impossible for kids to sit in a classroom for 6 hours a day with a mask on and social distance. Basically the kids in the US is going back to school on line. My son who is a student at the University of Maryland BC, Catonsville have to take classes on line from home. Well parents of younger children, you have to now become teachers.
The VIP has no plans
Four more months of online school can’t hurt so let’s take our time and see what is happening and try to open in school January 2021
Likewise as well, I would prefer for my child to be at home. Let’s see what happens in January and cross that road when we get to it.
Blaming the Government who have been taking all appropriate steps to keep us safe is just wrong. Why not blame the greedy criminals around us who prefer to make a dollar even if it endanger everyone’s lives.
Blaming the Government who have been taking all appropriate steps to keep us safe is just wrong. Why not blame the greedy criminals around us who prefer to make a dollar even if it endanger everyone’s lives.
The primary age child is too young to sustain watching a screen and digesting material all day for 5 days a week for the next months. My fear is there will be a learning and development gap that would be detrimental to the learning child in their teens and adulthood. The effects of a poor foundation will only be seen years to come. Given the low transmission rate among children, it may be best that, that population goes back to school. For all the positive reasons. Keep learning groups (2 groups per class and stager arrival and departure times) small so if there is an outbreak it will be contained almost immediately.
Good Luck and God Bless
Can you back up this statement with some facts please.