BACK TO ONLINE: Public school face-to-face learning suspended from May 25 to June 3 for national exams

BACK TO ONLINE: Public school face-to-face learning suspended from May 25 to June 3 for national exams
(FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Ministry of Education has advised that face-to-face classroom instruction from all primary, junior and senior high public schools will be suspended from May 25 to June 3 in order to facilitate national examinations.

Online learning will continue during this time, however.

In a recent press statement, the ministry acknowledged that it is cognizant of the dynamic health conditions on its campuses and satellite offices as a result of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

“This decision was made so that examination centers (school classrooms) can be adequately sanitized and otherwise prepared for the administration and sitting of examinations, in order to maximize the safety and well-being of examination candidates, invigilators and other examination personnel,” the ministry’s statement said.

Face-to-face instruction will continue at the pre-primary level — including institutions attached to primary schools and stand-alone preschools.

Additionally, schools deemed low-risk for the transmission of COVID-19 can apply to the director of education or their district superintendents for permission to continue delivering face-to-face instruction.

Face-to-face instruction and end-of-term examinations will continue between June 7 and June 18.

Last year, national examinations saw several challenges and month-long delays as the country sought to deal with its first and second waves of COVID-19 cases.

Despite the issues, Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd recently defended the government’s decision to hold last year’s national examinations, indicating that the “entire examination exercise was a success”.

The ministry has advised that student performance in the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) national exams improved in 15 of 27 subjects, notwithstanding a drop-off in students opting to sit certain subjects and the overall impact of the ongoing pandemic.

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.