In-person classes going well in northern and western parishes— educators
ST JAMES, Jamaica – With almost two weeks since the resumption of in-person classes, educators in western and northeastern parishes are reporting that all is well and students are happy to be back at school.
“From every indication, it has been smooth sailing so far,” said Director of the Ministry of Education and Youth’s Region Four, Dr Michelle Pinnock.
She noted that students at 86 of the 164 infant, primary and secondary schools in the region, which includes the parishes of St James, Hanover and Westmoreland turned out for classes on January 3.
“We maintain dialogue and have great relationships with parents [and] the teachers’ associations; we see it as a great partnership. We drew up a logistics plan for the parents and everybody is now aware as to how we are going to be organising the whole rotation. The awareness is high, and the parents are satisfied,” Pinnock added.
Regional Director for the Ministry’s Region Three, comprising St Ann and Trelawny, Karlene Segre, said the children are happy to be back at school.
She stated that classes got off to a good start at the 93 primary and infant schools that resumed face-to-face lessons.
“The children are happy to be back, the teachers are happy to be back, the principals are prepared and have worked out their plans and have submitted their plans. As they go along, they will make the relevant modification to the plans, based on the issues that arise,” Segre explained.
As it relates to the secondary schools, she noted that they remain closed, except for some institutions that have brought in senior students, who are preparing for exams, but noted that they will begin face-to-face interaction at the “quickest time possible”.
“Some high schools are doing the sensitisation with parents, teachers, and other stakeholder groups, just to ensure that everybody is on the same page, and I know that there are staff development sessions going on too. So, it’s just to get people back in the frame of mind of face-to-face work and psychosocial sessions,” Segre pointed out.
At Ocho Rios High School in St Ann, Principal Marvin Coulson, said classes will continue online for January, except for grade-11 students, while at Steer Town Primary, Junior High and Infant School, Acting Principal Jacqueline Mullings, confirmed that things are going well so far
