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Management of medical emergencies at schools rated less than satisfactory

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information in Jamaica is reporting that attendance was poor during the two-week face-to-face in-school pilot.

In fact, attendance was worse at primary schools than high schools. Seventeen schools comprising nearly 6,000 students were selected in the two-week test phase of in-class face-to-face schooling.

In statement to Parliament yesterday, Education Minister Fayval Williams reported that high schools opted to have their grade 11 returned to the face-to-face setting while the primary level has students across the various grades.

Attendance at the high schools during the first week was approximately 52 per cent of the grade 11 cohort while attendance was low at the primary schools. One such school, that has a student population of 128, was reported to have eight students last Thursday and 28 the previous day.

Williams hinted that the poor attendance may have been affected by the rain, as it rained throughout the past two weeks. During the period 1,115 students were noted to be in attendance, with 52 per cent (581) of that number representing boys and 48 per cent (534) representing girls.

GOAL OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION PROCESS

Williams told Parliament that the goal of the monitoring and evaluation process was to determine whether the education system can safely return to physical/ face-to-face instruction fully, partly, or none at all during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said it was imperative that the best practices, challenges and lessons learned across institutions are identified and shared.

Independent data collectors have been contracted and have been visiting the schools to observe the activities and to provide data/information on six criteria. Those criteria include the school’s management of entry to compound, management of the protocols in the classroom and the management of students’ movements during class time.

The other areas are school management of break and lunch sessions, school’s management of medical emergencies and school management of movement and interaction in clubs and other extra-curricular activities.

With regard to the schools’ management of entry to compound, the observer team found the overall management of the entry process was “satisfactorily managed by the school in keeping with protocols for preventing transmission of COVID-19. The entry points were reported as adequately staffed and efficiently operated”.

OBSERVATION DURING THE PILOT PHASE

Students were observed in queues that were adequately spaced at the entry points wearing their masks to cover both nose and mouth. In those schools with low turn-out, there was no need for queuing up of students, as the few who turned up came in at different times.

In one school, screening activities were moved onto the compound because of the rain. However it was done in a sheltered, open location before students were permitted to move to the classroom space.

It was noted as a matter of concern in two schools that the infrared thermometer was being pointed towards the forehead of children. Other schools were observed to have efficient use of the thermometer.

The time elapsed between arrival and entry was commended in 14 of the schools by the observers, who shared their satisfaction in rating. This means students were screened and admitted within two minutes of arrival at the entry point.

Parents were not observed accessing the compound even though it was noted as being allowed only on a need-to basis. With regard to mask wearing, five of 14 schools had students turning up without mask.

An appropriate response was given as students were issued masks and screening and entry process was subsequently observed. Some students wore a combination of masks and face shields. Teachers also wore masks and face shields.

Only one of 14 schools reported a conflict arising at the point of entry. The observer shared that this was effectively and politely managed by the principal.

MANAGEMENT OF ENTRY TO SCHOOL COMPOUND

Overall, the management of entry to the compounds proceeded efficiently. The overall management of the protocols in the classroom space was found to be satisfactorily done by the observers in the schools they visited. 

Students sat approximately three to six feet apart and facing one general direction in most cases. The administrations of the school added print rich signs to the school plants to remind students to wear masks, sanitise and wash hands regularly.

Teachers posted updated class rule charts in their class that highlighted updated rules that were in adherence to the COVID-19 prevention protocols. Similarly, mask wearing and social distancing were observed in classes monitored for periods of over 20 minutes in the 13 schools.

The observers reported that wash stations are visible and sanitisers are mounted at strategic locations in all schools, including on walls, at the entrance of or in classrooms. In some schools, wall sanitisers are in each classroom.

Wash stations are also strategically placed and some are at the rare or side of the buildings. Handwashing stations are also erected on corridors.

However, it was observed that one school needed to have hand sanitisation closer to the classrooms. Signs of social distancing images, as well as reminders to wear a mask, were strategically placed.

There were clear markers along corridors (upstairs and downstairs) indicating where students should stand in relation to each other. 

MANAGEMENT OF MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

The overall management of medical emergencies was rated less than satisfactory by a larger number of observers. Clear outline of protocols was noticed in seven schools.

Six of those schools had no documented protocols outlined for dealing with medical emergencies, while, at one school, the protocols outlined to staff as observed by data collectors were less than satisfactory.

“Clearly, the [education ministry] has more work to do in ensuring all our principals and teachers and support staff have clear protocols for treating with emergencies at a school.”

Fayval Williams, Jamaica’s minister of education, youth and information

It was observed that at one school, the key staff members, including the guidance counsellor, were not sufficiently aware of the location of the isolation room.

Williams told members of parliament that she gave an update of the observer report to the principals of the schools on Monday.

“Clearly, the [education ministry] has more work to do in ensuring all our principals and teachers and support staff have clear protocols for treating with emergencies at a school,” Williams said.

She noted that “the observers noted that isolation rooms to manage suspected COVID-19-related emergencies are suitably placed for ease of entry and convenience. However, no management protocols were outlined for the isolation room in six schools and observers in one school highlighted that the protocols outlined in that particular school were dissatisfying”.

She added that her ministry has already taken steps to engage the Ministry of Health and Wellness on this score.

At one school, two students were admitted to the isolation room after displaying symptoms of runny nose and a boy was admitted due to diarrhoea. His parent were alerted.

Moving forward, Williams advised parents not to send students to school if they are having symptoms such as runny nose, cough or fever.