Schools with unvaccinated children not ready for reopening
It is a requirement that all schools have a 65 per cent vaccination rate in order to open on 3 January 2022 when all students are expected to return to school for the new term. In a bulletin sent out by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI) all schools must pass a health inspection, have parent consultations and submit a satisfactory health report to the regional office and attach a letter signed by the board chairman confirming the results of the consultations.
This news came as a shock to some. A teacher from the Lennon High School, in Clarendon, estimates that only 25 out of 1000+ students are vaccinated at Lennon High. The teacher thinks having the unvaccinated and vaccinated in one place is not ideal. Lennon high school found out about the reopening of school on 28 December, which means they have little time for preparation.
“Nothing is ready, I am not ready, no one is ready,” said the teacher. He noted that lesson plans, term syllabus and timetables were not ready, “Anything that will happen now is rush work. Whatever plans we had were online and now everything has to be changed,” said the teacher.
The Jamaica Monitor has discovered that the Denbigh High School has, indeed, achieved 65 per cent of their students being vaccinated. They have been making preparations for the return of face-to-face classes and come 3 January 2022 they will be ready.
The MOEYI bulletin stated that every student must return to school, and appropriate measures would be in place for large schools. The teaching and learning experience would be delivered in a blended fashion and each year group was expected to attend face-to-face classes at least two times for the week.
A parent of the Foga Road High School says she is unaware of anything taking place at the school. The school has not informed her about whether her son will be required to go back to face-to-face or online classes. “They only said the children should get their vaccine nothing else,” said the parent. When asked if her child was ready for school she responded, “him nah learn enuh, him nah do a thing,” but other than that his uniforms, books and other materials are ready.
