Students from the last two remaining year groups returned to their schools today, meaning that all children attending state schools are now back in education, in their respective classrooms.
The Ministry for Education in a statement said that this follows a decision that was taken that for this scholastic year the return to school would be staggered between October 7, and today. This decision was also followed by other schools, notably Church schools.
A total of 33,361 students are enrolled in state schools in the kindergarten and compulsory education years. There are also 22,374 other students in the same years who are enrolled with non-state schools.
This year a number of unprecedented measures have been taken for the reopening of the schools in the light of the circumstances brought about by Covid-19, including the Health Authorities publishing a protocol for the reopening of schools after consultation with the education authorities.
The Ministry said that this protocol has been implemented through more than 50 measures taken in all state schools and an independent risk assessment has been carried out for each school, by experts considered to be competent persons by the OHSA.
Moreover, changes have been made to the syllabi and various teaching methods to meet the new realities of this scholastic year, whilst agreements have been made with key stakeholders to ensure that there are educators in the students’ classrooms, even when an educator does not attend school for justified reasons, the Ministry.