EBERNEZER--The School Board for Secondary Education SVOBE says that the Milton Peters College (MPC) and Sundial Schools are busy with preparations for the school year 2020-2021.
As the summer vacation period for schools nears an end, many parents, guardians and students are wondering if and when schools will open in August. The SVOBE has confirmed to The Daily Herald that its schools will in fact open come August.
Interim General Director of the SVOBE Schools Jacqueline Duggins-Horsford told this newspaper on Tuesday that the school board is in the process of accessing whether the schools will be ready to open as scheduled on August 10. She noted that the schools may open a week later if not deemed ready.
The director said that government has mandated the adherence to social-distancing rules for all schools.
The new measures set as a necessity to ensure the health and safety of all persons, and of course students, means that the teaching and learning process will experience changes. The director gave some insight as to what may be expected for students when school starts.
“For us to achieve social distancing, SVOBE schools will have to resort to blended learning. Blended learning entails a combination of face-to-face learning and distance learning,” said Duggins-Horsford. “This, we would like for our parents to be aware of.”
As part of the blended-learning process, all students would need accessibility to the Internet. “If needed, parents should make these arrangements already,” she added.
“The continuity of education in these COVID-19 times will mean coming to school one week and following class from home the other week,” Duggins-Horsford continued. “This is how SVOBE schools expect to commence the next school year in adherence of our government’s protocol.”
The director said that SVOBE is aiming to have its safety measure plans worked out by the end of this week.
Parents and guardians have already been notified by SVOBE the schedule for payment and books pick-up for the new school year. This reinforces the schools’ ongoing preparation for their August opening.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) has not yet announced publicly the opening of schools in August. This newspaper reached out to Minister of ECYS Rodolphe Samuel requesting a comment on the ministry’s plans and safety measures for all schools for the upcoming school year. According to the minister, he is currently conducting ongoing discussions with schools.
