As face-to-face learning returns fully, parents, teachers relieved

Today, (Monday) students turned out in their numbers for the first day of the new school year in Guyana.  It was revealed that the air was filled with anticipation and eagerness as parents, students and teachers prepared to readjust to the full reopening of schools.

In media related interviews with a number of parents, they expressed satisfaction at the reopening of schools for face-to-face learning.

It was noted that one such parent was Belinda Henry. She said the face-to-face environment would facilitate a quality learning experience.

“I think that face to face learning is always better. The children are happy to come out, and once everybody remains safe, I think it will be more effective.” Henry was quoted as saying.

Esther Bristol, another parent, revealed that the reopening of schools came at a crucial time, as many students found it hard to focus in the online environment.

“When it was the pandemic, we had the issue. A lot of children weren’t learning from the zoom, and they weren’t really focusing, because they were at home, and being at home and then being in interaction is different. So, I am glad school reopened,” Bristol said.

It was disclosed that many teachers, as well, expressed relief at the reopening of schools, since it will enable them to better interact with students to facilitate learning.

Riaz Roopnarine, a Social Studies and Biology teacher at Queens’ College, pointed out that the reopening allows for closer interactions among the students.

“We are all filled with excitement now that we are returning back to school because we would have lost so much over the two years with the pandemic,” Roopnarine said.

Meanwhile, Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, stressed that the reopening of schools is only one in a series of measures taken to prioritise education.

“This is the first time, after two and a half very uncertain years, that we’re opening fully face to face for the entire school population, nursery one all the way up to CAPE II. And so, it’s very pleasurable for us to be able to do that. We are committed to changing education, transforming the way we deliver, and then seeing transformation in the outcomes, and we are looking forward to the opportunities we have here,” she noted.