Minister Claudiana A. Cole made this remark on Monday after her visit to Lower, Upper Basic and Senior Secondary schools within regions One and Two.
The purpose of her visit was to see for herself how schools are faring since reopening and also to check on the schools’ observance of MoH and WHO regulations and protocols.
Madam Cole reminded parents that it is the government's duty to reopen the schools but it is equally the responsibility of parents to make sure their children wear facemasks when they are going to school.
“In most of the schools I visited, there was strict observance of the Covid-19 measures and all the PPE are available to students and teachers. Schools are observing physical distancing in classrooms of 30 students in a class,” Minister Cole explained.
She expressed gratitude over the availability of thermal sanitisers and masks at the main entrance of all the schools visited, while she took turns to urge the school administrators to provide good school environment for students and teachers.
During her interface with both teachers and students, she hailed the school administrators and teachers for reporting to duty at their various schools on time in order to serve the future leaders of this country.
According to Minister Cole, different models and strategies are being employed by the schools’ administrators to ensure that their students are accommodated and given the opportunity to have access to quality education.
“Some schools are using double-shifting, others are alternating while others are using extended school days or week i.e. Monday to Saturday,” Madam Cole said.
The schools visited were: Bajulinding UBS/SSS, Kabafita, Brikama, Jamisa and Jambangjelly Lower Basic. She had earlier visited Daddy Jobe Comprehensive, Bakau UBS, Aji Sukai Ndateh and St. Joseph’s Senior Secondary Schools.
By Lamin B. Darboe
Information Officer, MoBSE
