UG, Public Schools closed for another week over COVID-19 concerns

DPI, Guyana, Monday, March 23, 2020

As the efforts are made to step up the fight to stop the spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Guyana, the Ministry of Education has extended the closure of schools by another week.

Previously, the Education Ministry announced that schools would be closed for two weeks from March 16-30, 2020.

However, the Ministry has now extended the closure of schools to April 3, which will lead into the Easter Term vacation which runs from April 06, 2020 – April 17, 2020.

The Ministry also stated that the third term of the academic year will remain as scheduled and commence on April 20, 2020.

The University of Guyana (UG) has also extended its closure.

Initially, the University was slated to reopen on March 20. However, the Transitional Management Committee (TMC) of UG has stated that students and staff of both Turkeyen and Tain campuses and the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) will remain absent from campus and work online until March 30, 2020.

This excludes staff members of the University who provide essential services such as those in the Registry, Bursary, Maintenance, Security and Personnel Divisions. These essential staff will be on service as required.

These measures have been implemented to reduce the transmission of the highly contagious virus by effectively practising social distancing.

Since the closure, the Ministry has begun the sanitation of the schools and has also put measures in place to allow students to work from home.

Parents and students can use the Ministry’s television and radio and online platforms to stay interactive during this time.

National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) practice test papers in the four core areas can be accessed on the Ministry’s website: https://bit.ly/39Y698S (Please note that the link is case sensitive).

They can also tune into to the Guyana Learning Channel (Channel 42/Cable 29) to access the following: Nursery-level programmes from 06:00hours to 09:00hours, Primary-level programmes from 09:00hours to 12:00hours; Documentaries from 12:00hours to 13:00hours and Secondary-level programmes from 13:00hours to 15:00hours.

They are also encouraged to continue to listen to the radio broadcasts of the Interactive Radio Instruction for Grades 1 – 3 daily. The timings are Grade 1 from 09:30hours to 10:00hours; Grade 2 from 10:30hours to 11:00hours and Grade 3 from 13:00hours to 13:30hours.

These are also aired on the following Radio Stations: Mahdia, Bartica, Essequibo, Mabaruma, Lethem and Annai.