The education ministry will be providing over $430 m in additional support to schools, ahead of full resumption of face to face classes next Monday March 7.

Education minister Fayval Williams assured principals of infant, primary and secondary level schools of additional financial and resources support at a meeting last Thursday.

In the virtual meeting attended by over 700 representatives from infant and primary schools and 200 from the secondary level, Mrs Williams advised that the ministry is providing additional funding to assist with the preparatory activities for full resumption of face to face learning especially those related to sanitization and furniture needs.

A total sum of $430,850,000 is to be transferred to schools’ accounts by this Friday March 4 , to offset cost incurred by schools.

In addition, the ministry will continue to procure and deliver furniture to the infant and primary schools as per expressed need.

Mrs. Williams noted that the ministry has committed to provide schools with test kits.  5,000 have already been distributed and 400,000 masks that are already in hand and will be distributed at the regional level.

Meantime, Dr. Nicole Dawkins Wright, from the ministry of health and wellness, who also addressed the meeting, advised that with all students now being in school and the social distancing system being effectively relaxed, a revised control entry, monitoring and management of students will be needed.

Schools will only be required to do a quick scanning of students on entry and screening processes throughout the day for signs or symptoms of illness and record the temperatures of students above 37.5 degrees Celsius.

If it is at 38 degrees and above, they should be removed to the isolation rooms for further assessment guided by the ill-person protocol already shared with schools.

Students will still be encouraged to sanitise their hands frequently and wear masks to reduce the spread of covid-19.