The Tribune

THE Anglican Central Education Authority has announced it will adopt the Ministry of Education's model of a fully virtual platform for the reopening of school.

“Our anticipated date for reopening is 14th September 2020,” the authority announced in a statement. “We have always followed the ministry’s lead in times of national crisis, emergencies, storms, hurricanes and even more so now in this pandemic.

“We respect their decision-making process as the competent authority in the education arena. Further, we are deeply sensitive to, and cognizant of, the need not to put our parents, students and teachers at undue risk. Consequently, we fall in line with the protocols mandated by the competent authority.

“It is our greatest desire to return to the physical environment and hold face to face classes. However, we remain in synchronised lockstep with the Ministry of Education until the protocols are lifted and the all clear is given. As time progresses, we will provide additional information.”

This applies to the schools under the authority’s banner: St John’s College, St Anne’s School, Bishop Michael Eldon School in Grand Bahama and St Andrew’s Anglican School in Exuma.

Last month, Education Minister Jeff Lloyd said public schools will reopen on September 21 as they usually do and will feature three instructional models: face-to-face, hybrid learning and online learning.

At the time, he said parents who choose the online learning model will have to register with the homeschooling unit of the Ministry of Education.

He said for those schools that can accommodate face-to-face learning, masks will be worn, classroom capacity will involve 20 square feet per students, there will be staggered lunch times, general assemblies where crowds gather will be cancelled, while multiple entry and exit points on campuses and additional buses to transport students to and from campuses will also be used.