Basseterre: St. Kitts, Thursday, September 16, 2021: Addressing the nation on Wednesday, September 15, Minister of Education, the Honourable Jonel Powell, reminded residents of changing landscapes in education brought about by the community spread of COVID-19 in the Federation.
“In recent times, several of our schools and early childhood facilities have been impacted by Covid-19. The Ministry of Education has worked collaboratively with the Ministry of Health to first and foremost uphold the safety of all and mitigate the further spread of the virus,” the Minister expressed.
Explaining how the emergency system outlined in the Ministry of Education’s Guidelines for the Re-opening of Schools influences the logistical arrangements, Minister Powell said, “The established emergency monitoring and response system for schools is used to guide decision-making. The emergency system has four levels ranging from 0 to 4.”
Minister Powell provided a concise explanation for each level so as to facilitate further understanding of the vital role the Ministry plays in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to mitigate the transmission of the virus throughout the varying academic institutions.
“LEVEL 0: School is open for onsite instruction and all students can attend school. LEVEL 1: School is open for onsite instruction, but on a shift system to accommodate physical distancing with a large school population. Thus, students attend school at designated times,” he said. “LEVEL 2: School is open but testing and contact tracing is ordered by the Ministry of Health. A level 2 designation is assigned when: A student or staff member has flu like symptoms or has been exposed to a positive COVID-19 case; A student or staff member whose immediate family, or a relative who they have had significant close contact with, is in quarantine; A student or staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. LEVEL 3: School is closed by the Ministry of Education, under the guidance of the National COVID-19 Task Force.”
The Ministry of Education stays true to its 2021-2022 academic year theme: Safeguarding me! Safeguarding you! Together let’s push through.
