Plans underway for schools to reopen next month
View(s):The Education Ministry had drawn out a plan in regard to the reopening of schools from May 11 onwards. The plan will be implemented on a staggered basis, but it will be subjected to health advice, a senior Education Ministry official said.
According to the Education Ministry Secretary M.H.M. Chithrananda initially 50 per cent of the teachers will be expected to work in schools and plan out for the coming weeks in non-curfew areas.
In the non-curfew areas, from the third week of May onwards, only G.C.E (O/L) and A/L students will be required to attend lessons, while in the fourth week of the month students from grade six to ten will be required to attend lessons. The final stage of the plan will see the attendance of primary students.
However, all the plans will be carried out under advice provided by health officials. The relevant circular will be sent out next week.
Mr Chitrananda said the Education Ministry had sought the local authorities’ assistance to have all schools sanitised and prepared for the beginning of the second term.
However schools being used by the police for duties connected with COVID-19 is yet to be released. In Colombo several schools had been taken over by the police for curfew operations.
The National Institute of Education (NIE) is being used by the infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) doctors and the National College of Education (NCOE) by the police force.
“The Education Ministry has insisted these premises be thoroughly cleansed and sanitised before being handed over,” Mr Chitrananda said.
Meanwhile all parents will be asked to make sure their children wear masks daily to school.
But Education Ministry officials said they cannot vouch to maintain social distancing.
They said this could not be done in a classroom of 35 to 40 students.
“There is no way this could be followed given the number of students and capacity of classrooms,” Mr Chitrananda said.
Mr Chitrananda said no exams will be postponed due to the time lost during the lockdown period.
He said all exams including the Grade five scholarship exams and the Ordinary Level exams will be held as scheduled.
“They will be held in August and December as scheduled,” he said.
If unable to complete modules questions will be based on modules completed, alternatively optional questions could be given giving students wider choices, he said. CC