KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Education has decided to adjust its position on face-to-face classes in schools in the light of the recent spike in the COVID-19 numbers.

Addressing a Post Cabinet Media Briefing a short while ago, Minister of Education Fayval Williams announced that effective immediately only students who are to sit exit exams are to be allowed in schools for face-to-face classes.

“For schools that are operating in the face-to-face mode we have made an adjustment and we have directed that those schools in the face-to-face mode only have students from grade six, which is the exit for our primary schools and students in grades 11, 12 and 13 in our secondary schools,” said Williams.

“All other students will stay at home and utilise the online learning platform or the audio-visual approach which will be watching the lessons on television [and] listening to lessons on radio, and we do have a national schedule published to inform all our students and parents as to what time these lessons will be on,” added Williams.

She said the students and parents should also collect the textbooks and worksheets which are available so that they can keep abreast of what’s happening in the schools.

According to Williams, more than 400 schools have been approved for face-to-face classes so far but only about 300 have actually opened their doors.

She said the administrators of the schools are the ones who decide if they want to resume face-to-face classes and they make the decision to close their doors based on the circumstances they face.

The education minister told the briefing that since the resumption of face-to-face classes 47 students have tested positive for COVID-19 while there have been six suspected cases. In addition, 23 members of staff at schools have tested positive for the virus with 18 suspected cases.

Williams said as of February 21, 41 schools would have reported confirmed or suspected cases of the virus.

Arthur Hall