MoECST Explains Return to Distance Learning

Cecilia Ramirez-Smith

The academic year 2021 is set to commence later this month, with high schools and primary schools reopening on August twenty-third and thirtieth, respectively.  The Ministry of Education, on the advice of health officials, has called off the return to face-to-face instructions until the number of infections can be stemmed.  Until then, students will be relegated to distance learning.  This morning, Deputy Chief Education Officer Cecilia Ramirez-Smith outlined the ministry’s approach given the high number of active cases going into the start of the new school year.

Cecilia Ramirez-Smith, Deputy Chief Education Officer

“Government and grant-aided secondary schools resume classes on Monday, August third, while government and grant-aided pre-primary and primary schools will begin on August thirtieth.  The school year will run for thirty-eight weeks with classes ending in 2022, on June seventeenth and June twenty-fourth, respectively.  This amounts to thirty-eight, five day weeks of instruction for our students, in accordance with education regulations that specify the minimum number of instructional days.  As have been communicated previously, our partners at the Ministry of Health and Wellness have advised that it is not safe for face-to-face instructions at this time.  As such, classes will resume via distance learning mode.  Schools at the various levels will utilize digital and/or print-based resources to engage students in meaningful instructions.  Schools will plan and schedule teaching and learning activities for a five-day instructional week.  The first four days of the week will be organized with teacher-directed learning tasks.”