Govt’s decision to resume face-to-face learning supported by Teachers

Children are now able to engage in face-to-face learning as schools reopen countrywide. Several
schools along Woolford Avenue, recorded the attendance figure of their students with the onset
of schools on Monday.

It was pointed put that North Georgetown Secondary had a first day turnout of 245 students from
Grades Eight to Eleven. St. Joseph High School saw a 70 per cent attendance rate of 369 students
out of a total of 500 students that attend the school.  Tutorial Secondary School had the largest
attendance of 648 students on the first day, while Richard Ishmael Secondary recorded 285
students.
The teachers eagerly supported the government’s decision to resume teaching in the classroom
setting, when asked about their thoughts on the resumption of classes. Some noted the important
role, face to face interactions play in children’s learning. Shazim Mohamed, a teacher at the
North Georgetown Secondary School stressed that online learning has contributed majorly to
learning loss. “I think it’s a good idea that the government is doing this because there is evidence
of learning losses, school drop outs, it’s prevalent all over. Face-to-face learning is the ultimate
type of learning because with online learning we have different factors to take into consideration
that limit the capacity to explore in online learning while in the classroom we don’t have those
factors so face-to-face learning is always the best option,”Mohamed echoed
Head Master of North Georgetown Secondary, Felton Fraser, said that teachers at the school are
implementing a series of measures to combat the severe learning loss seen to students. “We
already have systems in place to have after school lessons especially for the Grade Nine students
because they are supposed to have their Grade Nine exams and projects. Teachers are working
early in the morning before eight, teachers are working after class in the afternoon, so we are
here working,” Fraser said.
Acting Head Master at Tutorial Secondary School, David Sam, pointed out that he was happy to
resume face to face learning, while ensuring Covid-19 measures and guidelines are implemented
and followed. “Virtual learning isn’t as effective as face-to-face learning so the move to have
children back in the classroom is a good initiative. However, we still have to adhere to the
principles and the rules of COVID. As teachers what we are doing here is trying our best to
enforce the guidelines by reinforcing our supervision. So, we have senior teachers going around
ensuring that children follow the guidelines to the best that they could,” Sam declared.
Meanwhile, Nathram Raghubansi Head Master of St. Joseph High School, expressed support for
in person learning as more of the education syllabus can be covered. He also noted that the
teachers at the school are implementing diagnostic tests to ensure students are up to par. “I
support the view of face-to-face learning because it helps us interact more and to have more
content covered. Teachers in the whole are very thoughtful, they know our students and they
have a very easy way of reaching out to our students, and they will do basic diagnostic tests to
see what work was covered, if they are levelled or on par so that they can move from thereafter,”
the St. Joseph High HM said.

The Education ministry declared that the government and teachers are making a genuine effort to
ensure students are provided with the best educational opportunity so that they can be
outstanding citizens and future leaders despite the on-going pandemic.