By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

HEALTH Minister Dr Michael Darville said he believes it is time for some form of face-to-face learning to resume in public schools.

However, he said many things are needed for health officials to support this move, including sufficient hospital beds and the ability to provide free testing in the schools. This comes as a group of parents are planning a peaceful protest at the end of the month to agitate for the resumption of in-person learning.

“We’ve been working very diligently with the Ministry of (Education),” Dr Darville told reporters before a Cabinet meeting yesterday.

“We’re very concerned about our schools and the fact that we must move quickly to get them open. Discussions will be ongoing today again with the Minister of Education and even at the Cabinet level. I remain optimistic.

“We are looking at the numbers and we are beginning to see some signs that we may be moving in the right direction, but with that being said, things can change. But I am of the view, like many people throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, that the time has come for us to be able to have some sort of face-to-face, whether it be a hybrid model or direct for our kids and I look forward to our kids getting back to school as soon as possible.”

He added: “Many things have to be put in place. One, we have to ensure that free testing is available because that will be a part of the protocol. If you happen to have a child or children who become positive, what are the strategies for testing? Two, we need to make sure that our teachers are safe. Three, the Ministry of Education must make sure that the schools are ready and four, I need to make sure that our hospital system remains open in the event that we do have kids who may be positive and as you can see we’ve brought in some additional nurses. We’re ensuring that we provide sufficient bed space. It’s a group of things that need to be in order for us to give the green light.”

Earlier this month, a group of parents expressed support for the opening of schools for face-to-face instruction, despite a continued surge in COVID-19 cases.

Laureen Singh, a concerned parent, social worker and teacher, speaking on behalf of others with the same view, said schools should not be closed while the country is fully open.

She pointed specifically to restaurants and local social hotspots that continue to host patrons alongside fully functioning gyms and beauty salons among others.

“The health professionals are saying this new variant of Omicron is speedy, but not deadly,” Ms Singh said in an earlier interview. “This is what they want to see towards the end of a virus; that it mutates fast and speedy and this is the end now.

“The virus was never stronger because the kids were in school. The private schools were open. They were hybrid, they were Room and Zoom. The cases never got higher from schools. Around the world, UK, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the US, Canada, they were open for the last two years and cases were not skyrocketing through the schools. They can trace it back and it was not through the schools, but yet it’s the first thing to shut down. Everything else in The Bahamas is open, why is it schools are not open?

“Why is it not being spread in the hotels, in the gyms, in the restaurants?”

Officials had planned to reopen public schools in the second week of January with a hybrid model involving face-to-face instruction.

However, in late December, Dr Darville said the resumption of face-to-face learning in public schools had been postponed by at least two weeks as officials grappled with the fourth wave of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Education, Technical and Vocational Training later said all public and private schools could only reopen this month on a fully virtual basis. This does not apply to daycare centres.