Schools wary of coronavirus

ILENI NANDJATO ONGWEDIVA Oshana education director Hileni Amukana says there are fears that too much contact between teachers and parents might transmit the coronavirus. The education ministry has already indicated that learners will be divided into smaller groups for teaching when schools reopen on 3 June. Schools will also allocate specific sites to specific groups of learners to adhere to social distancing during breaktime. Amukana also confirmed that the education sector will incorporate the learning materials handed out to learners during the coronavirus lockdown into face-to-face learning.However, it remains up to schools to decide whether to collect the materials before classes resume, or to wait for learners to bring them when schools reopen. There will be a staggered return to schools, with the initial batch of pupils expected back in class on 3 June.Grade four, five, six, eight and 10 classes will be empty, as these pupils are only expected to return to schools on 20 July. Prerogative “At the beginning we said they [teachers] can collect [the materials], but then we listened to the World Health Organisation when they said the virus can stay on different surfaces for different durations. “Then we gave the prerogative to schools to use a method which they feel comfortable with.” Amukana said the learning materials were designed to keep learners busy at home, but they are part of the curriculum and need to be taken seriously because the government has spent money on them. E-learning “For e-learning to take place, there are many conditions involved. Teachers should be ready, schools should be ready and households should be ready. “We anticipated that not all households have devices and that is why we put more emphasis on printing materials,” she said. Amukana added that whether learners are at home or coming back to school, the ministry is ready for teaching and learning to carry on.

Schools wary of coronavirus

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Schools wary of coronavirus

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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