BAHRAIN’S schools are ready to welcome students and teachers back after a lengthy break.
The Education Ministry today announced that public schools will reopen next Tuesday (September 7) for the new 2021-2022 academic year.
All schools across the kingdom suspended in-person classes on February 26 last year, following the outbreak of the coronavirus (Covid-19), and most institutions switched to remote education.
Schools reopened for limited attendance in October last year before classes got suspended again and turned online, with schools reopening in March this year before closing again in May due to a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases.
The ministry has already announced an operational strategy under the Covid-19 Alert Level Traffic Light System, whereby all educational institutions will resort to remote learning if the country is on Red level.
Parents have been given the option to send their children back to school or receive online education under Orange, Yellow and Green levels.
Attendance should not exceed 30 per cent in Orange and 50pc in Yellow of the total capacity while it can be 100pc in Green.
Social distancing of at least one metre is applicable in Orange and Yellow levels and half-a-metre in Green.
Bahrain is currently on the Yellow level and is set to go Green on Friday.
“We are working tirelessly to ensure schools are ready and well equipped,” said schools affairs director general Dr Mohammed Juma’a.
“This includes making arrangements for students choosing in-person learning, according to protocols set by the National Taskforce for Combating the Coronavirus.
“We are also set to meet administrators to come up with schedules and timings and other educational preparedness.”
The ministry announced that more than 67,000 students had so far registered to show up on campus.
Senior educational specialist for primary education Dr Wajeha Al Meer pointed out how technology was used to make it easier for people to register online.
“A new electronic mechanism for registration was introduced for the registration of students.”
The data was filled out and the required documents were sent through the app, which contributed to saving time, human resources and the use of paper.”
During the pandemic, ministry officials visited schools to provide educational support to teachers.
“As the administrative affairs co-ordinator for educational administration, one of my duties is to deliver instructions, procedures, circulars and letters to schools quickly and accurately, and to conduct meetings and training programmes using modern software,” said educational specialist for secondary education Basem Mansour.
MPs last week raised concerns over the health and safety of schoolchildren ahead of the start of the new academic year.
They are worried about hygiene, sanitisation, lengthy class hours and food breaks, amongst other issues, due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
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