The Ministry of Education (MoE) has scrapped the proposal to have Standard Five pupils return to an online modality from March 18 until the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam on March 31.
In confirming this on Wednesday, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said, “There was very little support for that stakeholder recommendation. So that will not be implemented.”
The ministry had made a recommendation that this cohort of students engage in online classes for the two weeks leading up to the SEA exam.
“We sent out the memo to principals last week in response.”
In a letter to education stakeholders on February 28, the ministry invited feedback regarding the measure that had been proposed by stakeholders, “to reduce the possibility of exposure to COVID-19 before the SEA exam.”
However, Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) acting secretary-general Vijay Maharaj expressed his disagreement with the directive, which he described as a “backward step.”
Maharaj said great efforts had been made to return this particular cohort of primary school pupils to the physical classroom.
He said the SDMS intended to have their students attend classes daily until the SEA exam, unless mandated by the ministry to desist from this course of action.
In addition, the Catholic Education Board of Management (CEBM) also expressed disagreement with the suggestion to return to online classes for two weeks.
CEBM chief executive officer Sharon Mangroo said protocols had been put in place by principals and staff to ensure safety in schools.
She said, “Principals and Standard Five teachers have spent many hours planning their classes, revision, safety protocols and other activities for their students with a focus on students peaking on Thursday 31st March.”
Mangroo said this would have been a waste of time and energy and new plans would have to be drawn up to facilitate any changes.
Standard Five students returned to the physical classroom on February 7.
