Education Ministry issues updated covid19 guidelines

The Education Ministry has issued a covid19 Case Management Guide to principals and stakeholders which provides greater detail regarding the procedure for managing both suspected and positive cases of the covid19 virus in schools.

In a release, the ministry said the guide was prepared and issued following a meeting with stakeholders on Friday where several matters were discussed. These included covid19 case management, school infrastructure, funding, staffing vacancies and school discipline.

“It was issued based on the matters raised in Friday's meeting concerning covid19 case management, and further to the procedures for covid19 management as outlined in the Guidelines for the Physical Re-Opening of Schools – Phase 4.

“Principals, middle managers, vice principals and senior teachers of each education district are expected to be engaged by the Education District Health Unit from May 11, along with representatives of the County Medical Office for Health (CMOH) Offices, to discuss, in more detail, covid19 management at schools.”

Present at the meeting were representatives from the Division of Education, Research and Technology of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA), denominational boards, associations of private primary and secondary schools, principals’ associations for primary and secondary schools, and the National Parent Teachers Association (NPTA).

"Though the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) was unable to attend this meeting owing to prior commitments, the union is in communication with the ministry, and a meeting to discuss it's contribution is imminent.”

The release said the ministry lauded the efforts of all staff, stakeholders, parents, teachers, middle management, and principals “as TT seeks to offer the best educational opportunity possible, in the time of the pandemic, to our children. Our continued co-operation and commitment during this transitionary period will be critical for realisation of the best outcomes.”