Despite resuming face-to-face classes islandwide, amid the fourth COVID-19 wave, Education Minister Fayval Williams says there has been no indication so far to necessitate a reversal of the Government’s decision to reopen schools.

Speaking at the official handover ceremony of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) $14-million Salt Spring Safe Passage Project in St James last Thursday (January 27), Williams indicated that the education sector could see a return to pre-pandemic levels over time.

She noted that this would be a possibility following the continued practice of health and safety protocols outlined by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, coupled with the total buy-in of parents and teachers.

She stated: “The ministry will continue our current strategy of monitoring how the schools are following and obeying the COVID-19 protocols.

“Our responsibility is to bring our children back into the face-to-face environment as safely as we can… to stay on top of what is happening in our schools… and to ensure we get weekly reports that give us a sense of what is happening.”

The education minister explained that, while the return to face-to-face classes will not always be smooth sailing, as was evidenced by reports of teachers testing positive for COVID or students exhibiting symptoms of the virus, the ministry has put systems in place to ensure possible COVID-19 exposure is dealt with swiftly.

“We are monitoring the situation and sharing that data with the Ministry of Health and Wellness,” said Williams.

“So far in our schools, based on the reports and the spot checks that we do, we are implementing face-to-face learning in as safe a manner as we can.”