SEA students return to school in Tobago

Standard five students at primary schools in Tobago returned to classes on Monday for a month of revision with teachers, to prepare for the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination on August 20.

In a press release on Monday morning, the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Education, Innovation and Energy said all schools were ready and covid19 compliant.

The division said all primary schools throughout Tobago are equipped, organised and ready to receive teachers and students as they prepare for the examination.

The release said the safety precautions implemented are in accordance with the protocols established by the Ministry of Health and adopted by the Ministry of Education and the division.

“Schools have been provided with covid19 hygiene equipment that include sinks, sanitisers, soap, paper towels and thermal scanners in strategic positions and readily available to all staff and students. Seating arrangements have been organised with the required physical distancing between students, and signs are in place on the floor and walls to indicate the appropriate spacing when students form lines. Additional signage is provided to guide staff and students to specific locations, and to observe the covid19 hygiene protocols on the compound.”

The annual exam was rescheduled from April 2 when schools were closed in March as a precaution against the spread of covid19. In June, it was announced the exam would be on August 20, and classes will resume on July 20.

The division added that in addition to the coronavirus hygiene protocols, it continues to provide blended eLearning instruction training from three providers – Moodle, Education Management Information System, and Information Technology Teacher Professional Network.

It noted that to date 234 educators have accessed training and the division expects that 400 would be trained by September 2020.