TTUTA calls for primary schools to close

THE TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) is calling on the Ministry of Education to discontinue the SEA preparation class being held at all primary schools across the nation in light of a spike in covid19 infections.

A TTUTA release under the hand of its president Antonia Tekah-De Freitas on Wednesday said it is very uneasy of the increase in infections and added this escalation in cases poses a risk to students, teachers and principals engaged in preparatory classes for Standard 5 students set to write the SEA exam on August 20.

This unease comes, it said, amid trepidation and anxiety among students and parents over the already-delayed SEA exam. At least three primary schools have been closed for sanitisation since one student had contracted the virus while another two were said to be in contact with infected people.

TTITA takes no please, the release stated, in reminding all stakeholders that we were against the rush to have pupils sit SEA because of the possible health risks involved. Because of the rise in infections, the union called on the ministry to discontinue the SEA preparatory classes until the spread is brought under control. “The safety of the nation’s children and our educators remain our priority,” the release said. Efforts to reach Education Minister Anthony Garcia for a comment on Wednesday afternoon, proved futile.