By Alicia Chamely
MAKE the reopening of all schools a top priority.
This was the message being sent by members of Open Schools TT during a silent protest against the prolonged closure of schools. The demonstration was held on Monday at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain.
Scores of members and supporters of Open Schools TT lined the Savannah dressed in red and carried placards demanding that discussions and steps to reopen schools be taken immediately.
Placards were emboldened with phrases such as “Class Before Mas”, “Remote Learning Is Not Education,” and “Childhood Development In Jeopardy.”
Spokesperson for Open Schools TT, Lara Littlepage said, “It is time for urgent consideration to be given to the primary school and preschool levels – these children are the least at risk for critical illness from Covid-19 and the most at risk for serious learning and developmental loss.”
Open Schools TT has called on the Government and Ministry of Education to discuss a differentiated approach to education during the pandemic. This approach includes the implementation of a rotational system, in-person schooling where schools are able to adhere to health and safety protocols, and a hybrid online system for students who are unable to return to in-person school. They are hoping with this approach the nation can open all schools in January 2022.
They noted that Trinidad and Tobago is one of the only nations to not have reopened schools, against recommendations from the World Health Organization, the World Bank and UNESCO. As such T&T has seen a steadily rising rate of school dropouts due to a lack of access to remote learning resources, a decrease in academic performance and an increase in mental health problems among school-aged children.
Regarding concerns of rising Covid cases, Open Schools TT pointed out that medical studies have shown children and adolescents at are the least risk for serious illness. Additionally, they said research has suggested the risk of transmission in the school setting appears to be lower than or equivalent to the transmission risk in any other community setting.
The group has requested that discussions to reopen schools take priority as the country reopens all sectors of the economy and society be taken immediately.
Minister of Education Responds
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, in response to Monday’s demonstrations, assured AZPNews.com that discussions regarding the opening schools were a priority and the Ministry was exploring all avenues to reopening.
She said, “I have received many different and widely varying recommendations and viewpoints regarding the decisions to be made with respect to physical school operations during the pandemic and in the midst of the current spike. All of these are currently being considered as Government deliberates on the matter.”
