Schools to reopen on September 6

Students could return to school for face-to-face learning activities starting mid-September, but this will depend on the level of COVID-19 vaccination within the population.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness, speaking at a virtual town hall on Thursday, said that the closure of schools for face-to-face learning, to shield children from the virus, is unsustainable. He said that the country's best bet is to get a large portion of the population vaccinated.

"My thinking is that we must return to school," Holness said, while adding that the vaccination of teachers and parents is critical for face-to-face classes to resume.

Dr Melody Ennis, director of family health services in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, said that almost 50 per cent of the island's teachers have been vaccinated, and efforts will be made to increase the numbers, once more doses of vaccines are made available. Holness said that he is encouraged by the high levels of vaccination among teachers.

"I want to express my gratitude to those teachers who took the vaccine and encourage others to move that process along very quickly, so by September we may have a high level of our teachers vaccinated and ready to get back into the classroom," he said.

The new school year is set begin on September 6. Prime Minister Holness said that there would be a gradual phasing of face-to-face classes thereafter.

"My wishful answer is yes, you are going back to school. We are targeting the second half of September, but just to be clear, schools will reopen as normal, using various modalities. So, come September you will have online learning, you will have transmission through normal TV and radio, and teachers will be distributing worksheets. Schools will reopen," Holness said.

The Government has set a target of getting jabs in the arms of 65 per cent of the adult population by next March. The utmost priority is to assist with the reopening of schools.

"Parents, they can contribute to the process by ensuring: one, their family members who are eligible to be vaccinated, that they are vaccinated; and that they themselves are vaccinated," Holness said.