Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, has announced that schools will not be reopening in September.
A video statement was released by the Department of Public Information (DPI) in which the Minister said, “We cannot reopen schools on September 7, 2020, as was previously scheduled. All schools should remain closed to face-to-face teaching for the month of September while we continue to review and evaluate the evolution of the disease (COVID-19) and our schools’ readiness.”
Manickchand noted that little or no action was taken by schools during the months of their closure to prepare the facilities, teachers, students or parents for safe reopening during a pandemic.
She said that officials are working on developing solutions to allow schools to reopen safely but in the meantime alternative means of education delivery will be used.
She encouraged teachers who had already engaged students this way to continue doing so.
Curriculum content is being prepared for the Guyana Learning Channel as efforts are being made to ensure the channel reaches more communities across the country.
The Ministry is also looking to introduce online classes as well as directly delivering learning kits and packages to students.
“We hope and intend to be ready with some of these initiatives as early as the second week of September so that most students can thereafter be actively engaged,” Manickchand added.
She acknowledged that one method would not be suitable for every student and that her Ministry would take into account internet and television access and any changes in the patterns of COVID-19.
