Classes back in session: Education director content with turnout

The resumption of the education process went smooth on Monday. There was a good turnout at the various schools as the teachers and exam candidates at the primary schools, secondary schools junior and senior level returned to their classrooms after nearly 3 months. Natasia Bennanon, director at the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, who visited several primary and secondary education junior level schools on the ‘first’ day of school told Times of Suriname that she is content with the turnout. Education inspectors were also deployed on Monday.

All of the teachers and students who were at the schools wore a face mask. Teachers stood at the entrances of the schools to check the temperature of their colleagues and the students with a thermo gun. It is mandatory for everybody to disinfect their hands before entering the classrooms. “I am more than happy. I had already stated that the day would come when the schools would open again.

You have to start some day. If you stick to the protocols, nothing can go wrong,” said Director Bennanon who added that this school year can also be concluded successfully if everybody sticks to his or her responsibility. The ministry had tried to start the education process twice but cancelled the plans due to the fact that a growing number of people tested positive for COVID19. Social Affairs and Housing Director Angela Salmo pointed out that the turnout at various state daycare centers was also good. Most of the employees also reported for work. The small number of employees who did not show up at their workplace claimed that they could not find transportation and that they had counted on the private regular service buses to start riding again on Monday. Vice President Ashwin Adhin on Monday night announced that the ministry had taken all the necessary precautions so that the education process could start again under safe circumstances.