Ahead of the full resumption of face-to-face classes, set to take place next Monday (March 7), Education Minister Fayval Williams has assured principals that additional financial and resource support will be provided to them.

During a virtual meeting held last Thursday (February 24) and attended by more than 700 representatives from the infant and primary schools, as well as 200 from the secondary level, Williams advised that the ministry will be providing additional funding to assist with preparatory activities.

According to Williams, a total sum of JMD $430.85 million is to be transferred to schools’ accounts by March 4 to offset the impending costs to be incurred by schools, particularly as it relates to sanitisation and furniture needs.

In addition, the ministry will continue to procure and deliver furniture to the infant and primary schools on an expressed-needs basis.

Williams noted that the ministry has committed to providing schools with test kits, 5,000 of which have already been distributed, as well as 400,000 masks.

For her part, Dr Nicole Dawkins Wright, from the Ministry of Health and Wellness, who also addressed the meeting, advised that, with all students returning physically to the classroom and the relaxation of the social distancing system, a revised control entry, monitoring and management of students will be needed.

Schools will only be required to do a quick scanning of students on entry and screening processes throughout the day for signs or symptoms of illness and record the temperatures of students above 37.5 degrees Celsius.

If it is at 38 degrees and above, they should be taken to isolation rooms for further assessment guided by the ill-person protocol already shared with schools.

Students will still be encouraged to sanitise their hands frequently and wear masks to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.