[UPDATED] SEA goes on, schools stay closed

PRESIDENT of the Primary Schools Principals Association Lance Mottley says he is not surprised at the Prime Minister’s decision to close schools until further notice.

He said he is also “okay” with the decision to keep the SEA date as August 20.

At a press conference at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, Dr Rowley said on Saturday that owing to the rise in covid19 cases, the first term of the 2020-2021 school year may be called off and schools are likely to remain closed until December 31.

Because of the recent upsurge in covid19 cases and TT now being at the community-spread level, Rowley said it is not safe for children to go back to school.

“We have a commitment and we will keep that commitment on August 20 – that one day – where SEA students will come out, write their exams and go straight back home.

“They will be spaced out and we ask parents to get them to school, (let them) do the exam and take them back home. Our children are to remain away from congregations of any kind.” He said at this stage, it appears the first term of the next academic year may not happen.

“By the time we would have gotten over this period, we will still be too exposed and the risk will still be too high to put children into school space.”

TTUTA (TT Unified Teachers Association) and principals’ associations have been pleading with the Health Ministry for weeks to make this decision, while SEA classes were still going on.

Speaking with Newsday on Saturday afternoon, Mottley said, “We are not surprised at all. We suspected that some decision would have been taken and that schools would not reopen in September.”

Schools were scheduled to reopen on September 1.

Asked about SEA, he said, “Given the fact that these children have already had so many false starts, this can only do well for their anxiety. I think that if we were to tell these children – again – that SEA is going to be put off, there would have been too much anxiety among them and their parents.”

He said it is a fair decision, but he is hoping all the necessary measures are put in place on the day.

TTUTA president Antonia Tekah-De Freitas says students are currently tired and “very stressed out,” and agreed they just want to “get it over with.

“As the State pushes ahead, we would hope all of the measures that the principals have put in place, such as the scanners and sanitisation and so, that those will really and truly be followed.”

She continued, “In terms of the actual academic year 2020-2021, we, as an association – we need to have a discussion with our members now about the new developments, because obviously what we projected would not apply now. The context is totally different.”

After this, she said, what is needed is a consultation with stakeholders and the Education Ministry.

“One of the things we must put on record is, if we have to move towards online learning, it is not simply a matter of giving students devices and improving connectivity. That is just one aspect of it.

“We must have proper planning of the programme to be implemented; we have to decide what model we are going to use; we must have an allocation of resources and readjustment of the curriculum.”

She said training both teachers and students was also necessary, and corporate TT may also have to step in to assist with providing devices and enhancing connectivity.

She also reminded the public that everyone has some level of responsibility for combatting the pandemic. As of Saturday, TT had recorded 497 positive cases, with ten deaths and 139 recoveries.

The Prime Minister has announced the closure of all teaching institutions, which he said may last until December 31.

But he assured SEA students the exam date remains August 20.

Dr Rowley was speaking at a press conference on Saturday afternoon.
Because of the recent upsurge in covid19 cases and TT now being at the community-spread level, Rowley said it is not safe for children to go back to school.

“We have a commitment and we will keep that commitment on August 20 – that one day – where SEA students will come out, write their exams and go straight back home.

They will be spaced out and we ask parents to get them to school, (let them) do the exam and take them back home. Our children are to remain away from congregations of any kind.”

He said at this stage, it appears the first term of the next academic year may not happen.

“By the time we would have gotten over this period, we will still be too exposed and the risk will still be too high to put children into school space.”