Systems are in place for the full reopening of schools across the country on April 25, after the Easter Holidays.
This was announced today by Education Minister Priya Manickchand who noted that the reopening will be done in phases so as to not “shock the system” after two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Within the first week, Grades will be going out back at different dates. We will announce that shortly, with the last Grade being Grade Seven and nursery in the following week,” she explained.
According to the Education Minister, efforts are being made to ensure schools are physically ready for this reopening.
“We’re trying to make sure our schools are equipped and ready for sanitizing and handwashing and toilets flushing and so on,” Minister Manickchand noted.
Moreover, she revealed that when schools reopen, students and teachers will be dealing with a “consolidated” curriculum.
“From Grades One to Nine, we have shaved off things are that not necessary. We’ve made the curriculum into a 20-week curriculum…we are retraining teachers in how to deliver this consolidated curriculum,” she explained.
Additionally, the Education Minister disclosed that there will be a literacy diagnoses of every child.
“We are also starting off, you’re going to see an assault on illiteracy, you will see an entire national programme rolled out to recover from the literacy loss we would have had and the gains we would have made that went down the drain in two years…in short, every single student is going to be diagnosed,” she stated.
“Each student will be attended to individually to make sure that we recover from the Covid loss. But the aim is to eventually make sure every single student at Grade Two is a reader,” Minister Manickchand added.
