All schools in Dominica will reopen for students on September 7, Minister for Education Octavia Alfred has announced.
Teachers are expected to report to school on September 1 to prepare for the new term, she said on the radio program, Education in Action on Wednesday morning.
Schools have been closed in Dominica for months now due to the COVID-19 pandemic now sweeping the globe, however since there are presently no cases on the island, Alfred said it is all a go for the new school term.
“So since we have no COVID-19 cases and since there is no community spread of COVID-19, all schools will reopen as normal,” she stated.
She said her ministry has taken all adequate considerations and has taken everything into account before making the decision.
“All schools will reopen for teachers on September 1, 2020, and for all students on Monday, September 7, 2020,” Alfred remarked. “So, from September 1, staff will engage in final preparations to receive students.”
She pointed out that teachers will also be engaged in professional staff development, training, and planning before the schools open for the student body.
“During September 1 to 4, we will also be doing a lot of cleaning and rearranging of furniture which will be done to make sure everything is in place,” Alfred noted. “In some places, we might have to install more water troughs and extra hand washing stations to make sure that things that are necessary are in place.”
She said her ministry has a plan in place which will be activated if the “national status as it relates to COVID-19 changes.”
Alfred stated the plan will be revealed at a later date.Â