BVI News

Teachers must have ‘office hours’ | Some schools require students to wear uniforms online

In an effort to create a sound educational structure during this online learning school year, teachers will be required to have consultation hours and some schools will require students to wear school uniforms during live online sessions.

This is according to Chief Education Officer Connie George who recently said the Ministry of Education has been working to create an atmosphere for online students that will reflect the physical school environment.

“A school day will run from 9 am to 2:30 pm, of course, with the lunch and the breaks in between as usual. So we want it to look exactly like it would have looked if they were actually getting up in the morning and going off to school,” she said.

“We are encouraging what we are calling office hours for the teacher where at that time, they would be able to zero in on the one child or the two children who would need extra attention or extra help with special education or extra the reading time,” the Chief Education Officer added.

Parents encouraged to create structure

To assist with the ministry’s intended goal, George is asking for parents to create a daily atmosphere within their household that would resemble the usual pre-COVID school morning pattern.

“You need to have a good structure for the child at home. The child must feel like ‘I am going to school’. So they must be asked to get up at a certain time, have their bath and their breakfast and get themselves ready.”

Uniform wearing by some schools

To further assist with conditioning the minds of students, George said that some schools have taken the extra step of requesting their students to wear uniforms during the online classes.

“I know that some schools have encouraged children to put on their school uniforms so that when they open the camera everybody is wearing their school uniforms. That’s not mandated, but it does help the child to fall in line and recognise, ‘yes I am really going to school’,” she explained.

The 2020/2021 academic year for local public schools is set to begin on September 21.

Shares

Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

19 Comments

Disclaimer: BVI News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the comments below or other interaction among the users.

  1. Strupes says:

    Give me the f**king money let me buy some uniform as a matter of fact buy me a washer and dryer and not the cheap s**t a sepreme.

    Like 22
    Dislike 12
  2. Dettol says:

    So added expense for some parents who may have to buy uniforms for children to stay home and watch a computer screeen. Does the government understand that many parents are not working? That many parents are having a real difficult time providing basic essentials for their family like paying rent and buying food? Now some parents will be required to have internet access which is an added expense for already struggling families?
    Would the government please take its head of the sand.

    Like 45
    Dislike 6
  3. weird says:

    Government is nonessential. They exempt themselves from their own policies. If they were not getting a paycheck then they could understand what everyone else is dealing with.

    Like 26
    Dislike 1
  4. Note says:

    Note. Yes it does not state which schools are requiring students to wear such. But the CEO did said its not mandated for students to wear such. People truly show me at times their reading and comprehension style is truly lacking.

    Bloggers stop jumping to conclusion. Take time to read the information and if you can not read to well. Then ask a teacher you may know what exactly is going on.

    Also. If you are not in a position to get things like a computer or internet access. See if one of your neighbors wouldn’t mind letting you use their internet. But make sure to assist with the bill.

    There’s way to combat the current situation. But you have to think on such. If i was a student. I would clean and cut yards or even wash vehicles to get what i need to get my education.

    I say this cause when i was in school I did what i had to do get my education. My mother was a single parent. So I did what i had to ease the stress on things on her. Sadly how things are now, how kids of today are raise most will never do such.

    Like 15
    Dislike 10
    • @Note says:

      People are stressed the f*** out so this is not a time for a reading lesson. The Government has failed this Territory and it’s only fear and political support that have some people blind to what is going on. When civil servants see their salaries cut I hope they keep the same energy.

      Like 19
      Dislike 6
      • Epic says:

        You summed it up nicely. The government has failed this territory. They need to go without a salary for six months before I listen to anything else they say. Absolutely no plan…Epic FAIL

        Like 6
        Dislike 1
    • @ Note says:

      Your use of full stops where commas should be placed shows you need to work on your grammar.

      Also, as per “Take time to read the information and if you can not read to well” (the last “to” should be “too”).

      Like 3
      Dislike 8
    • @Note says:

      So Some schools in the BVI have all students whose parents are getting a pay cheque? If some schools are making it mandatory some parents in that school who are not working will feel the iron up them a@@. Then we will have the average and below average students falling by the way side. And when those young adults become apart of statistics they will burglarize my home my family and not the CEO or minister.

  5. P.M says:

    Many high school teachers are not easily accessible. They often don’t respond to emails in a timely manner or at all. In fact, some don’t even teach, they simply send tons of assignments. Please work on that for the new term.

    Like 16
  6. HA!!! says:

    This is what you all voted for and are afraid to rebel against. Take bad treatment, the worst is still on the way!

    Like 7
    Dislike 1
  7. What Is the Point? says:

    What is the point of online schooling when some children go from house to house and by whoever could “watch them” for online schooling while the adults are out to work?

    • To What is the point? says:

      And why are they giving laptops to children who are not using it for school work? If the notice a student is given a laptop and not attending the classes and turning in assignments….they need to let them return the laptop to the ministry. Some parents are very slack and don’t give a $h!+ what their child is doing…..there are other parents who are struggling,yet doing their best with their children

      Like 5
      Dislike 1
  8. Lacking says:

    Officers are doing their best but could only give based on what they know 1. Some parents cannot buy food and pay rent what with uniform…CEO should rethink this 2. Officers need to Stop putting unrealistic pressure on their teachers . Quality verses quantity 3. Giving package every week … when students do not understand … concepts how and when would the teachers get the time to give instructional time and St the same time leading out in online classes 4. Where would you get marking time , teaching time , adjustment time and still have time for your children … 5. Kindergarten how and where are they going to get readiness training they need to move forward …. We are in trouble ….

  9. VIslander says:

    Just to put in my two cents’ worth and hope that it finds a few receptive ears: having a uniform on for the online classes will assist with giving structure to the students. Most of them need it.

    It is disheartening to have a teacher ask for cameras to be turned on and find that some students are in a state of undress or sprawled in bed and not focusing on the lesson.

    Please note that some teachers are also parents and so even though they can teach from their home they still have to monitor their child or children. No one is stress free in this situation, so please learn to give and take a little.

    Let’s all do as much as we can to get through this period. When students return to the classrooms there will be other hurdles to overcome. There won’t be smooth sailing, so let’s take it one day, one step at a time.

    Like 3
    Dislike 2
  10. Unbelievable says:

    Are these the same parents begging for the reopening of school? What would they wear to school, if the decision was made to return to the classroom. Be realistic, some of these students still have uniform from January. A few might get tight, but still at least one or two can still fit. I am so annoyed with some of you parents, full of complains without finding a solution to your situation.

    Like 4
    Dislike 3
  11. Tarzan says:

    U full a f$$$k

  12. Hmm says:

    The government and their officals are getting a big big salary every month. What about us who are laid off for minths now and were barely getting 1500 per month. How are we going to afford school stuff text book fir primary level and vides fees for high school. We are not even getting one dollar from the stimulus package. Why do we have to pay for Vide when the school is closed?? If a vide is necessary them the ministers or premier should pay for it. Let the government pay for it.

  13. @Note says:

    So Some schools in the BVI have all students whose parents are getting a pay cheque? If some schools are making it mandatory some parents in that school who are not working will feel the iron up them a@@. Then we will have the average and below average students falling by the way side. And when those young adults become apart of statistics they will burglarize my home my family and not the CEO or minister.

  14. Change is scary says:

    All they need is the uniform top; if they are sitting down for the distance learning and as long as it’s the right color. It’s all a big change but, not just for the BVI so, people just calm down.

    Create a nice background spot where the child will be on video, make sure their hair comb and let them get to learning.

    Most programs like google classroom have online testing and automatic grading. Assignments can be submitted online and there are fun games for learning. Wearing the right color is adds to the online learning environment.

Leave a Reply

Shares