Planning for new academic year

TDT | Manama

The Ministry of Education issued a circular yesterday directing all private educational institutions to adhere to a set of procedures for the new academic year starting in September, our sister paper Al Ayam reports.

These steps are in line with the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, ordering the Education Ministry to prepare for both the return to regular classes and for the continuation of distance education. This is to be done for both private and public schools, said HRH the Crown Prince.

According to yesterday’s circular for private schools, four steps are to be followed. The first is to take all necessary measures for the return to classes, adhering to all health precautions stipulated by the National Taskforce for Combatting the Coronavirus (COVID-19), to deal with the disease.

All directives related to health must be implemented, including ensuring social distancing, sterilizing school facilities periodically, and providing sterilizers and other hygiene supplies. The second is to ensure that the distance learning service continues to be provided to students at all levels.

The third is to do all that is necessary to achieve interactive communication between students and teachers through electronic means so that students who do not attend regular classes can follow lessons from their homes.

The fourth is to allow parents to have the option of sending their children back to regular schooling or having them continue with distance learning, according to the aforementioned measures. The circular, which was addressed to the directors and managers of private educational institutions, noted that the Education Ministry will send a guide on all health and safety precautions before the start of the new academic year. Schools will need to comply with the instructions contained therein, stated the circular.