PM Says Schools are Reopening as Scheduled

Dean Barrow

Preparations are ongoing by the Ministry of Education to have schools ready for the August tenth reopening, but there are numerous concerns also being raised by parents and other education stakeholders about the COVID-19 pandemic since the reopening of schools takes place just prior to the reopening of the P.G.I.A.   Some argue vehemently that with an increase in the number of cases due to border jumpers, it jeopardizes the plan for students to return to their classes on August tenth.  According to the prime minister, the matter is being carefully considered but that the schedule remains the same.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“We have tried to weigh things in the balance as carefully as we can and the decision at this time is to proceed.  Now of course all that is subject to something dramatic happening, there is not much time between now and August tenth, is it?  But if something absolutely dramatic were to happen, we call it off and of course we make a start but without prejudice to the fact that if it turns out that shortly after we make a start we begin to see community spread as opposed to clusters, we can take care of the clusters by not opening in those areas… but if we begin to see community spread then we have to close again.  I do think it’s important, even psychologically that we make a start and safety first but my God, for those kids to be out of school for so long, I don’t know what it does to them.”