Ministry meets with school leaders and council chairpersons ahead of re-opening Feedback provided on operational plans for respective schools |13 May 2020
Minister Simeon addressing the gathering (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
School leaders had the opportunity to provide feedback on the operational plans for their respective schools and to discuss preparedness, and precautionary and preventive measures to be implemented in schools from here on, in line with guidelines and directives given by the department of health, so as to prevent a second wave of the COVID-19 infection in the country.
This was during the second meeting for school leaders and council chairpersons organised by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MERHD) yesterday ahead of the re-opening of primary and secondary schools next Monday May 18.
In her opening address, Education and Human Resource Development Minister Jeanne Simeon thanked all leaders for their hard work, dedication and high spirits, even among all the preparations and new measures they are obligated to put in place for the new school term as the country adjusts to the ‘new normal’.
Briefly outlining the work the ministry has been engaged in over the past couple of months since the closure of schools on March 16, Minister Simeon noted the establishment of a task force and sub-committees, also comprising public health officials, who were tasked with discussing the adoption of practices and guidelines dictated by the department of health.
She noted three guiding principles on which the action plans are based including heightened vigilance to detect possible cases of infection in staff and students, the practice and maintenance of social distancing as well as improved hygiene and sanitation. Action plans and guidelines have been vetted and are in conformity with Public Health Authority (PHA) guidelines.
With regards to the school calendar, Minister Simeon noted some changes to make up for time lost during the unforeseen closure. As such, term two, will commence on Monday May 18 to Friday August 14 instead of Friday August 7, one week more than usual, to give educators and pupils time to catch up on the school curriculums on which they missed out during the 23-day closure. It has also been decided that there will be no mid-term break for the term.
The August holiday has also been cut back to two weeks with the third term starting on August 31 instead of September 7, and ending on Friday December 4.
Furthermore, Minister Simeon detailed changes to the school day, including staggered opening time from 8am to 8.40am to accommodate the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) who will have to make more trips on account of social distancing to be observed on buses. The school day is also set to end at 2.30pm, again to facilitate transportation of the pupils.
As for health guidelines to be followed by all schools, she highlighted the need for regular and daily screenings, compulsory hand-washing and sanitisation, adaptations to the school timetable to facilitate social distancing, staggered break times and reorganisation of the dining hall.
School leaders are to be held accountable and reports are to be submitted to the ministry with regards to how they are implementing in place measures.
In a bid to ensure that all school personnel are up to speed with the guidelines and measures, the ministry last week held a first meeting with teachers and school council chairs where they were brought up to speed with measures such as screening and were also instructed to establish a task force.
“Screening is one of the recommendations of heightened vigilance as advised by the department of health. Schools were briefed and tasked with putting in place the logistics and a team to facilitate screening. It is important that when schools implement their plan, there are clear lines of action as well as the roles and responsibility of individual team members to ensure that the screening process is smooth, and that when pupils are circulating, it is not too congested and that everyone understands the importance of screening,” said Brigitte Labonte, health promotion coordinator.
She urged all stakeholders to be patient as schools learn and adapt along the way, noting that the new measures may not run smoothly when first implemented. The screening process involves temperature checks as well as identifying possible symptoms of COVID-19. She advised that sick children should remain at home to ease the pressure off schools, although she praised the efforts of school leaders who are working collaboratively with their team to implement the measures as per their respective school’s requirements.
To ease the screening process, a health professional is supposed to be attached to each school.
“Each school has their own context as some are large with more resources, while others are smaller. So there are schools whose level of preparation does not compare to others. There is a possibility that smaller schools will be more prepared than others but larger schools have more staff and have more people on the committees so I think what we are analysing now, is that they are preparing for the re-opening,” Ms Labonte added.
Also on the agenda was an opportunity for the leaders to provide feedback as to their school’s operational plan and the challenges they are faced with in preparing for the re-opening and having to take on additional responsibility.
Principal secretary for early childhood, primary and secondary education Odile de Comarmond moderated the session, proposing solutions to some of the concerns raised.
A leader from La Digue school, where primary and secondary schools share the same premises, noted shorter coffee breaks and proposed that screening at the primary school start as early as 7am, and that closing time for secondary schools remains 3pm, on account that there is no need for transportation on the small island.
Plaisance primary school intends to open both gates to facilitate screening process, although concern was expressed about lack of space for after-school services such as child-minding.
Numerous schools have made provisions for screening at the main gate, and parents will not be allowed into the school premises but must instead drop children off at the gates. With screening at school gates, many expressed concerns over weather conditions and the possibilities of acquiring a tent or a more permanent structure under which the screening process can take place.
Among other concerns were whether staff will make it to work on time with social distancing being observed on public transport, on account that many teachers don’t live in the same zone as the school at which they work, difficulties in school meal services due to shorter break times and lack of housekeeping personnel, as well as the possibility for levelled admittance for larger schools, such as Anse Royale, at which 820 pupils are enrolled.
Other items on the agenda included cleaning and waste management, psychological support, monitoring and reporting, as well as other guidelines supporting implementation of operational plans, for instance, annulment of professional development and extra curricular activities.
Laura Pillay
