Low Turn Out At Schools Across The Island As Covid-19 Cases Increase

The turnout at Government schools across the island was reported to be extremely low on Monday as the Education sector on Montserrat grapples with surging COVID-19 infections.

At the Montserrat Secondary School, approximately 65 out of 240 pupils turned up for school with 12 out of 42 teachers absent (30 present).

At the Lookout Primary School, only 6 students out of a school population of 107 were in attendance. The entire teaching staff were absent with only 3 classroom assistants reporting for work.

At the Brades Primary School, 22 out of 160 students showed up for classes with only 3 teachers and 2 assistants present.

Meantime, the St Augustine Catholic Primary School remains closed for face-to-face classes. However, the school, on Monday, extended it’s remote learning mode. The Montserrat Community College is closed. There are currently 245 active COVID-19 cases.

All government schools reopened on Monday May 9th, for face-to-face instructions, after being closed last week .

Meantime, the Ministry of education is encouraging schools to continue to execute the regular temperature checks and the practice of hand-sanitizing, mask wearing and social distancing.

The Ministry says where students are showing flu-like symptoms, they must be taken to the designated sick area after which their parents are called in to take them to clinics for testing.

It says the same thing must apply to any staff member only that they will visit the casualty to be tested.

Additionally, the Ministry says its students or members of staff who are feeling unwell should remain at home in an effort to reduce the risk of community spread.