Gadsby-Dolly: 70% student attendance since school reopening

EDUCATION Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly estimated that since the full reopening of schools in April, student and teacher attendance at schools are 70 and 90 per cent respectively.

She made this comment in the Senate on Thursday.

"The figure is comparable to pre-covid times, given the reality that there were students, teachers and staff members who would have been experiencing the covid virus or would have been in quarantine on the basis of family members and so on, and therefore would have had absences from school."

Gadsby-Dolly said, "Data is not collected specifically on absence of students based on covid19-related matters."

All the necessary health and safety protocols have been put in place to facilitate the physical return of students and teachers to schools as the pandemic continues, she said.

"The data collected weekly shows a decrease in the number of covid19 cases reported at schools since the full reopening of schools on April 19, 2022."

Gadsby-Dolly said principals make decisions on providing education materials to absent students on "a case-by-case basis, depending on the circumstances."

But she added, "No teacher is mandated at this time to deliver synchronous, online sessions to students with the resumption of face-to-face classes."

Gadsby-Dolly also said the ministry has a well-established student support system to help students "displaying psychological issues such as but not limited to fatigue, social isolation, anxiety and stress."

Later in the sitting, Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales told senators a recent disruption in the water supply in East Port of Spain was rectified swiftly by the Water and Sewerage Authority. The problem was identified as a damaged valve and transmission line.