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Students returned to the classroom for the first time on Monday, March 7 since the start of the 2021/2022 academic year last September.

The resumption of face to face classes was announced by Minister for Education, Human Resource Planning, Vocational Training and National Excellence, Hon. Octavia Alfred at a press conference on Friday March 4.

Hon. Alfred explained that the decision came about after numerous discussions with the necessary stakeholders on the best approach to return students to the classroom.

“After conducting numerous extensive consultations with all education stakeholders including the Dominican Association of Teachers, the Dominica Public Service Union, school boards, parents association representatives, students representatives, bus drivers, cooks and cleaners, with a view to resume face to face instruction in schools, the general consensus was that in the best interest of our students that we resume face to face learning but in a phased approach,” Hon. Alfred stated.

Students in Grade six and Fifth form across Dominica will be required to attend school daily while other students will assume a blended approach.

“Based on this careful assessment, Cabinet has decided that all primary and secondary schools will be open for in-person learning from Monday 7^th March 2022, utilizing a blended approach, that is online and face to face. The general arrangement is that all form five and all Grade 6 students at all schools will be in daily, and the rest of the space at the schools will be used to rotate the rest of the school population,” the Minister explained.

Hon. Alfred then listed the attendance criteria for schools with a population of less than two hundred students.

“Small schools with a population of eighty students or less with adequate space for the stipulated 3 to 6 feet social distancing will be fully open. We have about four schools with less than 81 students but they do not have the required space so they will fall under the arrangement for schools with a population between 81 and 200 students. These schools will operate under a blended approach with grade six students coming in every day, while Grades K, 1, 2 and 3 come in from Mondays to Wednesdays, and Grades 4 and 5 on Thursdays and Fridays,” Hon. Alfred explained.

All primary schools will operate from 9 to 2, however the primary schools who operate from 8 to 1 will continue to do so.

Large schools will also have a blended approach. The Minister explained that the Ministry is working with schools to accommodate Grade 3 which has one day of face to face learning.

“We also have a blended approach for the large schools with a population of 201 to 360 students. Grade six students will be in everyday, Grades K, 1 and 2 will attend face to face on Mondays and Tuesdays, Grades 4 and 5 on Wednesdays and Thursdays and Grade 3 attending on Fridays. Concerns were shared and we have education officers working with the school to see where the Grade 3 students can come in for two days,” Hon. Alfred stated.

The Education Minister also outlined the schedule for all secondary schools noting that a few schools will have special arrangements. 

“At secondary schools all Form 5 students will be in Monday to Friday from 8 to 1. Forms 3 and 4 will go in Mondays to Wednesday forms 1 and 2 students will attend Thursdays and Fridays. The Dominica Grammar School and the Goodwill Secondary School will continue to work on shift. The Dominica Community High School has just 61 students and enough space to accommodate all the students every day. The days when children are not engaged online they will be doing face to face and the days when they are not at school they will be engaged online,” the Minister went on to explain.

Hon. Alfred added that the Government through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health remains committed to the safety of all involved in the teaching service.

“The Ministry of Education has prepared a detailed operation manual for the reopening and guidelines for the safe operations of school. We have also teams in place comprising of Ministry of Health officials and Ministry of Education officials who will be monitoring to ensure schools are following the guidelines as presented in the manual. Our commitment is to the safe return of our students to school,” Hon Alfred further stated.