Education Minister Octavia Alfred has announced that preparations are being made for students to return to school this week for the new academic year. She made the announcement while addressing a press briefing held recently.
According to her, school will reopen for staff on September 4 and 5, as planning days, and it is expected that by Wednesday, September 6, students will return.
“Normally the Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are used by many schools for orientation and to get students settled in,” Alfred said.
However, she revealed that there will be a slight change in arrangements at the Grandbay Primary School.
“Grandbay Primary was operating on an afternoon shift at the Grandbay Secondary. We have ensured that we have prepared space for them at their school, because I think a morning shift would be better for them than an afternoon shift, so even if they work from 9 to 2 in the morning then work can continue in the afternoon,” she explained. “All the logistics are in place…”
Alfred indicated that a lot of cleaning is being done, so the space is being prepared in order to make it safe for the students.
“Grandbay Primary will be more comfortable now because they will be on a morning shift in their own building and we will continue to do the other finishing touches in the afternoon,” she stated.
Furthermore, Alfred said changes are also expected at the Thibaud Primary School.
“The other school that will have a change is Thibaud,” Alfred noted. “Thibaud is the first primary school that will begin and the arrangements we are in now is for Thibaud to merge with Vieille Case Baroness Scotland Primary School.”
She pointed out that the government met with the principals and teachers, “and we will meet everybody together, even if the students do not come in by [this] Wednesday for sure they will begin by the following Monday together.”
Alfred said that this is nothing new, “This is something that we did when we were doing Wotten Waven, they were at another school. When we were doing Delices they were at La Plaine.”
She also mentioned that all other schools will go on as normal. As it pertains to preparation, Alfred made it clear that all government social support programs are in place and students will be ready.
