Parents await decision on physical classes: Will schools open too?

With the Education Ministry’s draft guidelines on reopening in-person classes yet to be finalised, parents and guardians on Saturday said they eagerly await word from the Government "to know what to do."

"If the Government opens school now, it would be too short a notice. My children grew out their uniforms. The uniforms are available in some bookstores. For me, it is cheaper to buy the cloth and pay someone to sew it," said a parent, who asked not to be named.

The woman said her son is a student of the Marabella North Secondary School. She also has a son who goes to another school in the area.

She was worried that if the Government resumes physical classes on September 6, she may not have enough time or money to get uniforms made.

However, later on Saturday, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh announced that the entire retail sector would reopen on August 16. When asked if any decision had been made on schools, Deyalsingh said the Education Ministry was the one to address the issue. He did comment that more members of the public should be vaccinated for more sector reopenings, including schools.

On Friday, the Arima Boys' Government School suspended the sale of school shirts initially scheduled for last Monday to Wednesday. The suspension was due to covid19 restrictions and the closure of the retail sector.

The letter signed by the principal advised parents to check their e-mail regularly for updates.

Newsday spoke to several parents in San Fernando and environs and environs on Saturday on the proposed physical reopening of classes.

A parent of a student from Harmony Hall Presbyterian School in Marabella, she received a booklist only. She, too, was awaiting word from the school or via the media "to know what to do."

The mother of a six-year-old girl from Marabella Government Primary School said staff members gave parents booklists.

"Before she started first-year class, the school gave us (parents) a list of requirements like the measurement of the school uniform with a small sample of the cloth. This time around, we got a booklist only," the woman said.

"We are on a WhatsApp chat group, monitoring what is going on. We want to know if the schools would be opened too."

In July, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and other officials met with stakeholders on draft guidelines for the physical reopening of schools in September, the start of the academic year 2021/22.

On the advice of the ministry, the Prime Minister is expected to confirm whether schools will be physically opened.

Dr Rowley has been reopening the economy on a phase basis and encouraging the public to vaccinate to speed up the process.

Owing to the pandemic, since March last year, the Government banned in-person classes.

The pandemic also pushed back the Secondary Entrance Assessment examination this year. The SEA results are expected to be released in mid-September.

Contacted on Saturday, the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Antonia de Freitas, said the association and ministry officials are expected to meet on August 16 to discuss the proposed policy.

She said she has not yet spoken to the entire membership on the issue.

"We have not had that discussion. I am on vacation right now. I am not sure what discussion has taken for the past week in terms of TTUTA’s perspective on the matter," de Freitas said.

An official from the ministry confirmed officials are still consulting with stakeholders. The official declined to comment further, saying once a decision is made, the media and the public would be informed.

The draft document caters to students from pre-school to tertiary level.

It proposes that Early Childhood and Care and Education (ECCE) centres allow students four and older to attend a minimum of three days per week physical classes from September to October.

From October, children three years and older should attend a minimum of days per week.

The draft proposes classes from September to October for primary-school students – standards four and five only.

From October, standards two and three students should attend classes at least two days weekly, and infants to standard one pupils at least one day per week.

The draft proposes that secondary students from forms four-six only attend classes from September to October.

From October, forms one-three should attend at least two days per week.

For post-secondary/tertiary, the draft proposes that physical classes for teaching, labs, and practicals resume from September with social distancing protocols.

Virtual teaching is to continue for all students not scheduled to attend in-person classes.

Calls to National Council Parent-Teachers Association president Clarence Mendoza went unanswered.