Residents to get education update tomorrow
After weeks of waiting, residents are expected to get a much-anticipated announcement regarding the reopening of schools in the territory.
Health Minister Carvin Malone revealed on Friday during the government’s most recent COVID-19 update that announcements will be forthcoming tomorrow from Education Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley.
Malone said these announcements will encompass matters concerning all local primary and secondary schools, whether public or private.
In the last few weeks since the emergence of a major COVID-19 outbreak in the territory, residents have continously raised questions about the reopening of schools and what format it would likely take.
During the last school year, many schools employed a hybrid of online learning and in-person schooling as well as various shift systems to help maintain social distancing protocols and curb the spread of the virus.
Previously, Dr Wheatly said the BVI should not relax its health protocols until the active COVID cases are back down to zero.
He also pleaded for patience from residents regarding updates on the reopening of schools given the fact that the territory still had a high level of active COVID-19 cases.
“Let’s focus on getting those cases down and that will truly inform what we’re able to do in September when we prepare to go back to school,” Dr Wheatley said in the House of Assembly recently.
He noted that the government takes advice from the Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) about the form that school reopening will take.
“Certainly, bringing the cases down with COVID-19 would give us a much better position to be able to go forward with confidence,” Dr Wheatley stated at the time.
At one stage, the BVI had more than 1,600 active cases and has now experienced some 37 deaths thus far. Active cases have now reduced to 152, with seven persons still hospitalised.
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I can’t say enough how much I wished Walwyn was still minister of education. We went from a good minister to one who has no clue what he is doing. No plans. No direction. No nothing. Come for me! I said what I said and it’s the truth.
Stop the politics- this is not the time: the man is so ambitions: people dying and his cronies playing politics? Stop it now. When he was there all we get is the wall and a lot of foolishness too so there
Why is it that whenever someone speak their mind they are being attacked usually by VIP politicians or their close supporters? You are the one from what I have just read is now playing politics and also spouting untruths. If you were commenting objectively you would not say what you just said fully well knowing that you are not telling the truth. Myron did a good job as education minister. Far better than this present one. Its the plain, old, unadulterated truth period.
I feel your frustration. But let’s not forget how the condition of the school deteriorated under Walwyn. He added another yr & didn’t fix the school, he decided to put a wall around it instead. He also didnt have to deal with Covid which is the real issue. Or the flood and hurricanes that hit a depleted infrastructure. And these children graduate and can’t read or write well. Education is a tough & challenging ministry. I’m hoping for better soon and much improvement too.
You know you are telling tales. Stop it. Then again you probably have one eye for true.
I know I heard Myron defend his ministry on the wall to my satisfaction in the COI. I am waiting patiently to hear how some will defend themselves on some of these other things. Hmmm
Did the NDP bring hurricane Irma. I am sick and tired of this silly discussion around Irma. We had a category 5 hurricane with major destruction. Are we really this senseless to expect everything to be fixed in under 14 months?
It always amazes me how people from the BVI talk about hurricane Irma. This is worse recorded storm in this side of the globe for about a century. The destruction was bad but not as bad as it could have been. Many lives could have been lost. Countries do not bounce back from this kind of devastation months after. To think that will happen is pure ignorance. The time between the hurricane and your elections 2019 was not nearly enough time for any government to get the whole country fixed. That would be impossible. I live here for 30 years and I think things went pretty well with the Irma reconstruction for people dealing with a hurricane of this size for the first time. Schools were opened within a month or two and may got donors to help rebuild. When I read comments blaming the former government about Irma it annoys me that a country with so many people with degrees can spout this level nonsense on a daily basis. Put your education to use in your daily life. Too many people here are acting ignorant and saying foolishness that makes no sense.
The NDP were in for 8yrs. This VIP government has been in for 2. And had to recover from acts of God, Covid and new finance protocols for the older dogs. So all I’m saying is that the former minister has some responsibility for the ills of the educational infrastructure and his priorities, and no amount of revisionist history can change that. I also agree that this current government needs to get a handle on it. Not blaming the hurricanes on either party. Or the Corona. USVI is doing online school when their term starts. So we’ll see what the current minister says today. Whether 2 full eyes or 1 good one we are all watching.
Between a rock and a hard place. Online learning is not the best but at the same time will be able to safely return the children to the classroom?
Will they be able to social distance?
Is there adequate ventilation? Circulating air conditioned air at this time is not recommended.
Will the children observe the COVID protocols?
If a child or teacher comes down with the virus will enough resources be there to isolate, contact trace, test etc?
Would love to have my child back in the classroom but I’m nervous with what is happening especially in light of the fact that most of the children are unvaccinated and we are also seeing an increase in the number of children getting sick from this virus.
The education system is at the lowest point that I have ever seen it in the BVI. This is such a travesty. All the progress made under the previous government has been lost. Such a shame.
we are good on Anegada,been back to school all 2021, its due to people knowing how to follow protocols instead of going out clubbing and spreading the virus,
Tortola shut down the BVI for more than a month , the last month of the season, now the BVI is open again, which is good for Tortola but the tourists have all gone and so the outer islands suffer yet again.
What progress was made under the previous government. I would like for you to list them. Cause the only good thing security wise was the wall.
Which when the flooding before irma came a good part of that same wall drop.
Monies spent on building two building. Price so high and they use cheap steal Irma come and twist and fold one and the other stand with no use to it.
7million plus on a airplane deal up to now to plane touch down
Tpp highly over prized by millions too
And I can list many more. So truly tell me what good did Ndp did.
The schools are not ready for normal settings much less covid protocols. They spent millions on fake fishermen and farmers now real businesses, schools etc need funds and none there. Keep it up!
The japanese minister came back yet?
I done spend the school clothes money on food so hope they helping parents…
school should be online facts!
Education under this minister is a disaster. Every other country has made it a priority to get children back into the classroom. Never mind COVID, our schools not even ready from irma which was 4 years ago next month. We spend millions on nonsense when education should have been the priority.
@ parent, I’m with you. I keep saying the same thing. Give it time because some kids travel overseas and will travel back at the end of summer. I say do online for this term and see how it goes
That fishing and farming giveaway was criminal. No one should be talking about plane pier park and wall. All useless clueless leave it to Jesus pie in the sky useless eaters. We are doomed with this mentality or lack thereof in control. So sad.