Weather, staffing hiccups delay reopening for four schools
DR MICHELLE Pinnock, regional director of the Ministry of Education’s Region Four, is confident that there will be no major fallout despite four of the primary schools selected for reopening on Monday being forced to remain closed as a result of inclement weather.
Pointing out that the schools will get updates from the ministry as needed, Pinnock noted that the students would have still been able to participate in online classes as they have been for the last 18 months as a result of the pandemic.
“Of the 48 schools that were supposed to open, only 44 were opened, and that was because of the weather. Monday’s learning resumption was just for face-toface classes as we will still have the other modalities going on, to include online classes and the learning kits, so I do not think there will be any big issues,”Pinnock told
The Gleaner.
“While we have some issues, we would have been able to facilitate learning by using the Google Classrooms, printed materials, and broadcasts. Most of these schools have their WhatsApp groups and school management systems, so we ensure that we send out timely information to them,” she added.
On Monday, the Sudbury All-Age and Infant School principal, Susan Davis, reported that her students braved the rains in order to return to the classroom, noting that they were anxious to reopen as many students in the St James-based community do not have access to online learning.
GENERAL MOOD
“... The general mood is an excited one. We always have Internet issues here in this area, and most of these students are without devices, so they are happy to be here face-to-face,” Davis told
The Gleaner.
Camille Davis-Williams, headmistress at the West more land-based St Paul’s Primary School, said that the adverse weather was the only impediment to their resumption of in-person classes.
“It is a smooth restart of school. The parents were anxious and eager to come out with their children, but the weather was not very cooperative, and most of my kids come to school via bike taxi,” said Davis-Williams.
Fifty-eight primary schools within Region Four – Westmoreland, Hanover and St James – were approved for resumption of face-to-face classes, of which 48 were scheduled to reopen. However, three schools in St James and one in Hanover remained closed on Monday.
The remaining 10 are set to reopen next week.
In Trelawny, which falls in Region Three, the Albert Town and Daniel Town primary schools were unable to reopen although slated to do so.
“The Public Health Department gave a listing of requirements regarding disaster risk management, which were to be in place. There was one area which did not measure up. Because of this, we were not given the full certificate of compliance,” said Albert Town Primary Principal Godfrey Blake.
Daniel Town Primary was experiencing a problem with staffing.
“There were two teachers who became ill. The ministry recommends a particular studentteacher ratio. Everything else is in place for the resumption of faceto-face classes,” said Principal Taneisha Williamson.
The schools in western Jamaica are among 376 primary-level institutions across Jamaica which were cleared to resume face-toface classes this week.