STETHS suspends face-to-face classes
SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – Principal of St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS), Keith Wellington says the institution has temporarily suspended faceto-face classes pending the outcome of an assessment of risks associated with the recent spike in COVID-19 cases across the country.
Wellington said that while there had been no cases identified at the school, the close to 1,500 cases recorded in Jamaica over the “last week or two” gave cause for pause.
“I think we have done very well so far in terms of keeping our students safe. However, based on what has happened, the administration took the decision that we would close for the first two days of this week to make a risk assessment before we determine how we go forward,” he told the Jamaica Observer in a telephone interview yesterday.
“Based on the number of positive cases that we would have seen islandwide as well as in the parish [St Elizabeth], it is a precautionary measure that we have taken just to do our own assessment as to how things are and what are the risks involved in our students coming to school. But, we are happy that so far we have not had any cases associated with the school,” he added.
When asked if the school will be strictly online going forward, Wellington said: “It depends; we have always been using a blended approach. Students sometime stay at home, so it is nothing strange that we are doing that. The students who have face-toface classes also have online [sessions], but what we did this week is that we started with everybody online,” he said.
He said the institution is also awaiting guidance from the Government.
“We will make our decision based on the decision taken by the Cabinet as a country, as well as our own assessment for our students and staff,” he said.