Inflexibility is often counterproductive. Hence our approval of indicators from the authorities that they will be on their toes prepared to adjust, twist, turn, and come again as full face-to-face classes resume in schools across Jamaica today.

This is after two years of instability caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic. Schools were forced to close for much of the period, relying largely on online interaction between teachers and their students and staggered school-attendance arrangements.

Sadly, thousands of children have been disenfranchised, creating a learning gap that is certain to have long-term, negative consequences.

Readers will recall that on every occasion that Jamaicans and their leaders relaxed over the period, thinking that perhaps the country was past the worst, the novel coronavirus contagion bounced back with devastating effect.

We are now at the tail-end of a fourth wave, again hoping that the virus — which has caused in excess of 2,800 deaths in Jamaica and upheaval unprecedented in our time — may finally be receding. But, again, we are being cautioned by some experts — even as there seems to be general acceptance that children need to return to face-to-face school as part of an overall programme of “living with COVID” — that there could be a fifth wave up ahead.

We suspect it’s in that overall context that Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton tells us that his ministry plans to visit schools throughout the resumption period to monitor and “adjust as needed”.

Said he: “So we understand that it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ [because situations] may come up that require some pivoting or adjustments. We will take [these] on a case-by-case basis [and] will adjust in a particular school environment, where necessary…”

And, while urging parents to send their children back to school starting today, Education Minister Ms Fayval Williams tells us that there will be challenges.

We know that among the major challenges will be overcrowding at transport centres, bus stops, and on buses and taxis. There is no easy way around this. Transport operators will have to act responsibly and avoid the temptation to overload their vehicles.

There must be continued insistence that everyone wear masks and do so properly, and that surfaces are appropriately sanitised, etc.

Where it’s possible and safe to do so, parents may be well advised to have their children walk to and from school.

Such details may seem minor, but we believe it’s often accumulated minor stuff that end up making the big difference.

We note efforts to revive train services to transport students in some areas. That’s useful, if it can be sustained.

Also, we are told that, for the Corporate Area, Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) Communications Manager Mr Cecil Thoms has promised the use of larger buses to mitigate crowding in the back-to-school period and partnerships with sub-franchise operators to increase capacity. We hear some buses which were out of service have been brought back.

We trust that plans to expand the JUTC fleet by another 50 buses later this year will become reality.

At bottom line, everyone must adjust, adapt, and do whatever is required to ensure the very necessary return to full face-to-face school is efficient and safe.