POST COVID 19 CURFEW

EMPHASIS LAID ON PROMOTING SOCIAL DISTANCING AMONGST THE STUDENTS

A joint action plan submitted by

The Rectors of the Academies of Zone 2: SLT SSS, JKC, QEC and MGI Moka

25 APRIL 2020
 PREAMBLES
 a) Understanding that students and the youth are probably more at risk for their
classes are not conducive to social distancing. Their social behaviour and their
movement also do not preclude them from the risk of contamination. It is
generally acknowledged that the young are easy prey to the contamination
and could potentially be the main vector for the transmission of the virus
 b) Prioritising actions at the site of the school to contain the risk factors within
the school environment to forbid situations where students will fall prey to the viral
contamination
 c) Ensuring continuity in the schooling experience and the preparation of
students for the forthcoming examinations. A special attention will be given to
the G11 and G13 students who are preparing for the Cambridge International
Examinations
 d) Looking forward for the full collaboration and support of the school
personnel to maintain the directives and protocols issued by the authorities to
ensure the safety of students as well as their own.
ASSUMPTIONS IN WORKING OUT THE INITIATIVE
 a) There is no school where the action plan for a safe resumption will be easy in the wake
of COVID 19 contagion for the background situation in all schools is the same. The
coordination of the actions amongst all stakeholders will have to be one step ahead of the
contamination mode of the virus. The challenge in the education sector is to have a
harmonising plan for all school types and classes: Academies, regional and extended
streams
 b) Students will collaborate with the school administration and educators to ensure that
measures taken are observed for the welfare of all students. The latter is expected to show
responsible behaviour and follow the directives strictly.
 c) Students will not take private tuitions where they will be accommodated in confined
places and where they will be put at risk. Any contaminated student at the place of tuition
will spread the disease with his peers on the next day. Hence all efforts being taken by the
government will be null and void.
 d) The Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education Science and Technology will provide the
school administrative personnel, the ancillary staff, the teaching staff and the students with
safety materials and equipment to maintain a safe environment at all times. Inter alia, the
Ministry of Education will make provision for masks, sanitisers, gloves and other
paraphernalia
 e)There will be no undue interference from the Union of Educators as much as the
community of practioners in the education sector has seen it in the recent days. Such was
disruptive and tainted with sedition.
THE REALITY – THE WAY FORWARD
CLASSES ARE OVERCROWDED
a) Currently the classes are overcrowded and does not allow for social distancing
b) Ideally 1 class will have to contain a maximum of 15 students
c) The plan involves a class being split in 2 and each being attended by 2 teachers.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS IN LIMBO
 a) School logistics: The number of classrooms – taken care by Heads of schools
 b) Staffing requirements (posting of educators & Supply teachers) : Human Resource –
taken care by HRD Directorate of the Ministry of Education
 c) Transport of students via increased number of buses with notion of social distancing –
taken care by Ministry of Education in discussion with NTA

DUE TO THE ABOVE, THE SCHOOL CANNOT BE RUN WITH ITS NORMAL STUDENT POPULATION ON
THE SAME DAY. THE NORMAL SCHOOL POPULATION WILL HAVE TO BE SPLIT INTO HALVES ON ANY
SCHOOL DAY

 AGREED ACTION PLAN: SCHOOL POPULATION WILL BE SPLIT IN HALVES WITH

SCHOOLING DAYS PROVIDING FOR G10&G12 AND G11&G13 ON A 2:3 BASIS
THE MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS ADDRESSED
BY THE ACTION PLAN:
a) Proposing different school times for different classes
while maintaining acceptable contact time for
academia
b) Redefining the school curriculum & adapting the
school time table to cater for different school times
c) Ensuring maximum social distancing during student
free time and toilet time
d) Ensuring safe travelling by bus as the students travel
from their home environment to school and back
 SCHOOLING TIME
The 5 days’ week is divided into
3 days for G11 & G13 and;
2 days for G10 & G12

NOTE: Consideration has been given to the prevailing conditions in the academies:
In any of the school academy: whether O level cohorts or A level cohorts have 4 streams or 5
streams or a combination of 4 & 5 streams, the available classrooms (free) can
accommodate the above plan
SCHOOL BELL TIMES
 PERIOD ALLOCATION FOR TIME TABLING PURPOSES

 Total duration of 1day schooling = 6.5 hours = 390 minutes

 Total time for breaks in 1 day = 40 minutes
 Total contact time for the academia perday = (390- 50) = 350 minutes

 Duration of 1 teaching period = 35 minutes

 RATIONALISING
 Number of teaching periods per day = (350 / 35) =10 periods
 Number of teaching periods per day for 3 days’ work = 3 x 10 = 30 (1050 minutes)
 Number of teaching periods per day for 2 days’ work = 2 x 10 = 20 (700 minutes)
TRANSPORT OF STUDENTS
A dedicated school bus transport of students to
and from school: minimising the risk of
contamination through bulk travelling
The number of buses serving will be doubled to
ensure social distancing inside the bus.
Schools which are not provided with school buses
will need such a service for the health and safety
of its students
THE ONUS IS ON THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN CONSULTATION WITH
THE NTA TO PROVIDE MORE BUSES TO SCHOOLS.
 ENSURING SECURITY & WELFARE OF
EDUCATORS
Providing dedicated classrooms to educators to
de-load the staff room.
Educators will be provided with the basic
equipment and materials to ensure their safety at
work.
 HARMONISATION BETWEEN ACADEMIES
& REGIONAL SCHOOLS
 THE BASIS OF COMPARISON IS DONE AS FOLLOWS:
 THE NUMBER OF WORKING PERIODS PER WEEK:
3 DAY SCHOOLS = 30 PERIODS 2 DAY SCHOOLS= 20 PERIODS
 NUMBER OF AVAILABLE CLASSES IN REGIONAL SCHOOLS = 30

SCENARIO IN THE REGIONAL SCHOOLS

3 DAYS SCHOOL: MON, WED, FRI (30 PERIODS WK) 2 DAYS SCHOOL: TUE, THU (20 PERIODS WK)
CLASS COHORT NUMBER OF CLASSES CLASS COHORT NUMBER OF CLASSES
G11 (5x2) =10 G10 (5x2) =10
G13 (5x2) = 10 G12 (5x2) = 10
G9 (4x2) = 8 G8 (4x2) = 8
1 G9 Extended (1x2) = 2 1 G8 Extended (1x2) = 2
class class
TOTAL NO = 30 TOTAL NO = 30
CLASSES CLASSES
 HARMONISATION BETWEEN ACADEMIES
& REGIONAL SCHOOLS
GRADE 7 COHORTS (NORMAL & EXTENDED STREAM)

 Due to logistic issue, the limiting factor being the number of

classrooms, G7 cohorts in the normal and extended stream will not
be accommodated in this action plan
 It is proposed that G7 cohorts be serviced by the online teaching
mode. The open university in collaboration with the MIE can produce
worksheet which can be delivered to the parents at school during
this temporary period
 PROPOSAL FOR A REVISED SCHOOL CALENDAR
2ND & 3RD TERMS
 In terms of weeks available
No dates & month will be specified giving the ethereal nature of the stressful situation;
the proposal is being made in terms of acceptable number of working weeks
 2nd trimester: 10 weeks  Vacation after 2nd trimester: 1 week
 3rd trimester: 10 weeks  Vacation after 3rd Trimester: 3 weeks

 Rationale
• A normal 2nd trimester for G9, G11 & G13 in fact reduces/ boils down to the
proposed working time in the light that activities in schools and exams periods
would have had to be subtracted. Proposing the above scenario does justice to
the time that needs to be given to catch up with the work.
• The number of weeks catered for school holidays have been reviewed drastically
to bring in a balance between the school terms and holidays
 ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION OF
STUDENTS - EXAMS
 NO FORMAL EXAMINATIONS IS PROPOSED UNDER THIS ACTION PLAN
 STUDENTS’ LEARNING WILL BE ASSESSED AND EVALUATED THROUGH CONTINUOUS
ASSESSMENTS

ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION DURING THE REMAINIG TERMS IN 2020

TERM NUMBER OF ASSESSMENTS
2 It is proposed that the scores of the students’ in
the 1st term is carried forward and combined
with the 2 assessments in term 2 to constitute the
marks scored by the students
3 3 assessments are carried out by the class
teachers and taken to report on the
performance of the students
 ADVANTAGES OF THIS ACTION PLAN
a) If all academies adopt this plan, then there is equity in
contact time and all schools will have parity of esteem. The
harmonisation plan with regional schools adds to the
credibility of this action plan
b) The school timings and bell times allow for restricted
movement of students. students will be under the constant
supervision of the educators
c) The dedicated bus service is provided for 2 times per day
thereby maximising on public utilities
d) Time tabling exercise is easy and the management of
pedagogy will be smooth
e) The criteria of maintaining social distancing is respected
 SUPPORT REQUESTED FROM THE MINISTRY
a)The government is looked upon to provide materials and
equipment to ensure the health and safety of the
administrative staff, teachers and students by the provision
of the following: masks, sanitizer, gloves, electronic
thermometer
b)In the working of the time table, it will be required that
part time educators & part time supply teachers posted at
one school be redeployed on full time basis there.
c)The provision of bus transport to students although this will
entail that a maximum of bus be provided to ensure the
safe transport of students to and from the school
 CONCLUSION
 The strength of this document lies in the fact that all the rectors of the
academies in Zone 2 have agreed to the action plan as one which is
achievable with the current resources available within the framework of the
current practices of the Ministry of Education, TE, S, T.
 The action plan gives parity of esteem to all schools and the equitable
treatment is an important factor given that HSC students are competing for
scholarship and equal opportunities must be given to all candidates
 It must be borne in mind that students are considered as the easiest vector for
the transmission of the contagion. Rectors and educators must be given the
reassurance of evolving in a safe working environment. Any oversight will
endanger the lives of students, educators and the propagation of the disease
will be unstoppable.