Volume 19 Digital Issue
Preparing for the Safe Resumption of In-Person Classes
Now that COVID-19 quarantine restrictions have loosened and infection rates in the country have curbed, more schools are expected to resume in-person classes in the coming school year.
Based on UNICEF and UNESCO’s 2020 report, global data have shown that “schools are not the main drivers of COVID-19 transmission.” Furthermore, there were no reported outbreaks of virus transmission when the Philippine government implemented the pilot in-person classes in mid-2021. Because of this, private and government educational institutions across the country started ramping up their preparations to meet the standards of conducting in-person classes.
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As we transition to the new normal, school administrators need to take on the critical role of ensuring that learners, teachers, and school personnel can go back to in-person school activities that don't expose them to COVID-19 infection.
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Schools are empowered to care for their stakeholders.
Philippine health expert and public health consultant Dr. Venus Oliva Cloma-Rosales shares two important insights and considerations for the safe resumption of in-person classes.
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1. Assessment of school facilities and COVID-19 action plan
Crucial to crafting an action plan for reopening in-person classes is implementing stringent measures that prioritize the health and safety of the learners and the teaching and non-teaching personnel. Here are some guide questions to consider:
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Is it possible to implement physical distancing in the classrooms and offices?
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Are the classrooms and offices well-ventilated? Do they have windows and doors that allow the flow of fresh air?
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Can the school clinic accommodate COVID-19 suspects and non-COVID-related concerns?
Dr. Cloma-Rosales advises school owners and administrators to do the following:
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Invest in a school clinic and its staff (nurses, assistants, and doctors, depending on how big your school is).
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Make sure that medical supplies and equipment are adequate.
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If possible, make teleconsultations available for students and staff.
She also says that based on the public health principle of Hierarchy of Controls, engineering controls such as ventilation are superior to using personal protective equipment or PPE.
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Manila students following health protocols on campus as photographed by Ted Aljibe (Agence France-Presse) for The Philippine Star
IN THIS ISSUE
Reinventing Education for the Evolving World
Institutional resiliency involves being quick to innovate with less hesitancy, and being willing to collaborate with stakeholders.
Reinventing Education for the Evolving World
With the looming return of face-to-face classes, schools need to examine their structures and processes to ensure the safety of all their stakeholders.
Preparing for the Safe Resumption of In-Person Classes
Preparing for the Safe Resumption of In-Person Classes
QUALITY TEACHER ASKS:
“What is the biggest challenge your school encountered during the pandemic and how did you overcome it?”
QUALITY TEACHER ASKS:
“What is the biggest challenge your school encountered during the pandemic and how did you overcome it?”
Being prepared for any circumstance means not only having the tools but also acquiring the trained mindset of resilience.
Building Next Level Education
Building Next Level Education
Three school leaders share how they were able to successfully navigate their schools through disruption to ensure learning continuity for their stakeholders.
Reinventing Education: Stories of Survival and Success Amid a Disruption
Reinventing Education: Stories of Survival and Success Amid a Disruption
2. Creation of an outbreak preparedness program
The virus still exists and another outbreak is possible. Hence, it is essential that schools craft an outbreak preparedness plan that considers the possibility of going back to distance learning in case lockdowns become necessary. Aside from this, training and counseling are helpful tools for parents, learners, and teachers should there be a need to shift back to online classes in case of outbreaks.
In case of an outbreak, Dr. Cloma-Rosales shared, “Your number one responsibility is to enforce health protocols. First, you have to isolate the case or cases. You must have a school clinic that will assess the child or the employee properly. You must document your findings and endorse back to the family and the LGU, depending on the data of your cases.”
“You must be able to perform internal contact tracing because it is the school that knows who the seatmates are, the busmates are, where the child is likely to have gone around,” she adds. “You must have your own system of documenting and contact-tracing.”
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The control of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases is an opportunity for us to build a culture of safety and not merely compliance.
—DR. VENUS CLOMA-ROSALES
Safe reopening of schools is a shared responsibility.
Keeping a safe and healthy environment for the learners, teachers, and school staff is a shared responsibility among stakeholders. Schools should collaborate with their local government unit in implementing health protocols inside and outside the school. Parents and teachers should work together to create an environment that is conducive for learning while being protected from the virus.
The resumption of in-person classes in the middle of the pandemic still has uncertainties. But if schools provide the learners adequate protection and implement effective and efficient action plans, parents will gain more confidence in sending their children back to the classrooms.
According to Dr. Cloma-Rosales, “the control of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases is an opportunity for us to build a culture of safety and not merely compliance.”
There is more to learn as schools open their gates once more. But one thing is certain, educators and learners will move forward and continue to adjust to the new normal in education, whatever it takes. Q