No word yet from Education Ministry on back-to-school plans

Education stakeholders are still waiting for word from the Ministry of Education on how schools will reopen in January.

In October, Minister of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said the ministry was considering the return of forms 1-3 students to the physical classroom.

In November, she met with stakeholders to discuss the possibility of the return of these students and last week, the ministry also met with the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA).

But stakeholders are still waiting for the ministry’s final decision.

On December 2, general secretary of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) Vijay Maharaj told Newsday they were expecting a response by the second week in December.

“I hope the minister does not take too long,” Maharaj said in a phone interview with Newsday on Thursday. “I know the Prime Minister wants to open. He wants to get primary schools out.

"But how can it be done? That is what we are waiting for.”

He said stakeholders, in their meeting with the ministry, made recommendations and denominational boards seemed to be on the same page as to how things should be rolled out.

Maharaj said they are hoping to have a response by Wednesday before the holiday season ends.

“I think (the covid19 variant) omicron will have a lot of say in what plays out in January. All we can do is wait and see. But it has become tedious, because children are really beginning to feel this. The virus has taken away their future.

"But we have to bite the bullet, because (case) numbers are rising.”

Maharaj said he believes schools should reopen and have the capacity to deal with more students.

All forms 4-6 students have been in the physical classroom for the first term of the year. In September, only vaccinated students returned, but two weeks later, Gadsby-Dolly announced unvaccinated students could also return.

“Schools are one of the safest places for kids right now. You go to a store and there are sanitisers on the wall, but people are still gathered.”

CEO of the Catholic Education Board of Management (CEBM) Sharon Mangroo also told Newsday in a brief interview that the board was awaiting the minister’s response.

“I expect the minister is waiting on the Ministry of Health,” she said, adding the Education Ministry is usually guided by what the Health Ministry has mandated.

She said for now, children are focused on the upcoming Christmas holiday.

“Teachers are getting innovative in celebrating the season,” she said, highlighting one teacher in a rural community who delivered packages to the homes of each of her students so they could all have lunch "together" online.