Despite outcries from students and parents for a return to face-to-face teaching normalcy, Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams has advised that the physical doors to learning classrooms will continue to remain closed.

Addressing a virtual Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC)/Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) town hall held on Thursday (April 29), Williams indicated that the decision to reopen schools physically is the health ministry’s to make.

As a result of this, until a new directive has been given to the education ministry as relates to the resumption of face-to-face classes, these will not take place.

“I just want to say to remind persons that we are in a health crisis and so we have to be guided by the ministry of health and wellness,” the education minister outlined.

She added: “They have indicated to us that as schools should revert online they haven’t yet made a change in that decision… as soon as we hear anything further we will let you know”.

Williams indicated however that the ministry is continuing to relay the concerns of various education stakeholders to the health ministry.

She stated: “We are still impressing on them the anxieties, the concerns of all the parents and students and I’m sure they are taking that into consideration but again we are in a health crisis and we have to always be mindful of that.”