After 4 months Stay-Home amidst Covid-19
By Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer, MoBSE
The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) announced the resumption of grade 9 classes while grade 12s would be announce later thus other categories of classes will remain close until further notice.
The announcement was made by the basic education minister; Claudiana A. Cole before the press in her office in Banjul on Friday afternoon where she revealed that grade 9 students will commence their normal classes on Wednesday June 24th 2020.
This development came following the closured of all schools in the country by her ministry due to Covid-19 global pandemic.
According to Minister Cole, the pandemic has brought lots of trauma and uncertainty to everybody, while emphasizing that it has affected every sector of our society which education sector is not left out.
“The closured has also affected about 674, 300 students in conventional and recognized Madrasa schools from ECD to senior secondary school levels thus resulting to an estimated loss of 265 instructional school contact hours within the 87 days of the school closured,” Minister Cole explained.
Madam Cole re-echo that the closured seriously threatening the achievement of the annual target of 880 school contact hours. “Two weeks ago, Gov’t relaxed the State of Emergency restrictions in order to open and extend business operations and reopening of schools”.
It was from Gov’t decision minister Cole went on, her ministry held consultative meeting with its stakeholders like MoH, GTU, Conference of Principals, Association of Lower Basic School Heads (ALBASH), WB, UNICEF, UNESCO, and NATCOM among others to map out the way forward in respect to safe re-opening of schools.
She highlighted that the outcome of the consultative meeting with her ministry’s stakeholders indicated that there is need for schools to be re-open because continue closured of schools will not help education sector and the country in general.
According to MoBSE Minister, the re-opening of grade 9 classes is in response to the concern expressed by parents, students and teachers as to when schools will resume normal classes.
“In keeping with the WHO health measures, Ministry of Health guidelines my ministry will be closely working with our Regional Education Directorates to ensure compliance on the social and physical distancing and availability of Covid-19 PPEs,” Minister Cole assured public.
