Latest news on schools reopening

[Wilsonandson]

The Ministry of Education (MOE) has issued an announcement "postponing the semester" or opening the semester 2021 from June 1 to another date on June 14, 2021 by reasoning that For the maximum safety of students, teachers, parents 

But at the same time, the announcement of the Ministry of Education It also states that schools or educational institutions in the highest control area (red) and control area (orange) if you want to start the semester first, you can do so by having to pass the readiness assessment criteria of the Ministry of Health and the Provincial Communicable Disease Committee. The highest and strict control area (dark red) in 4 provinces, Bangkok-Nonthaburi-Pathum Thani-Samut Prakan. Teach online-on-air only

Until the time before June 14, 2021, which will be due to open the semester according to the announcement of the MOE. On the other hand, it was found that some provinces Some schools have started to gradually announce that the semester has been postponed. 

 

Richard Barrow has just tweeted this about the subject.

 

[brewsterbudgen]

 

First semester for academic year 2021 will commence on June 14: education minister

 

The date was originally set for May 17 but was changed twice – to June 1 and then June 14 – in a bid to curb Covid-19 from spreading.

“The ministry has tasked all schools to prepare for the reopening and adjust their teaching based on one or more of five approaches to suit the situation in their respective area,” she said.

The five approaches are:

1. On-site: schools offer teaching at their facilities as usual.

2. On-demand: teaching is provided via mobile applications.

3. Online: teaching is provided online via the internet.

4. On-hand: lesson and exercise materials are delivered to students at home.

5. On-air: teaching is provided via satellite TV programmes to students in remote areas.

 

“Schools that choose the on-site approach must prioritise the safety of students from Covid-19 and provide necessary facilities such as hand-washing stations and spaced seating in classrooms to maintain social distancing,” Treenuch said.

“They are also urged to include lessons on Covid-19, such as its nature and how to stay safe from the virus,” she said.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40001858?fbclid=IwAR01qESDfNWHlZSwQ6i40FYFdPLdUnNkMMLzV7nnm3xCfIeIYG08XE3MGOM

[Wilsonandson]

Thank you Brewsterbudgen, I was curious to know what the latest was regarding the reopening after hearing about it just a few hours ago from my Thai wife. Couldn't find out hardly anything on the internet. Then after translating Thai news and then seeing Richard Barrows tweet I thought I can't be the only one who doesn't know the latest. So I thought I'd let everyone know here in this post. I'm retired and living out here with my wife and son. Must be difficult for teachers out here trying to earn a living especially now finding out they don't start back on Monday. I guess they can try working online too.

[Wilsonandson]

Found these on-line today.

[brewsterbudgen]

8 minutes ago, Wilsonandson said:

Found these on-line today.

That's clear then ????

[mrbojangles]

It's a pain this. My daughter should have gone back on the 1st for her last 4 weeks before finishing for summer hols. Then the teacher e-mailed the night before that they can't go back in. until the 14th June. Not only that but they won't carry on with on-line learning either and will add the 2 weeks onto the end of term, thus eating in to summer hols. Once again, at the last minute, the night before she should have gone in (14th) they sent an e-mail saying that they still can't go in but hopefully will go in today or next week. Daughter sent the teacher a text last night and he replied "still not sure". My daughter is gutted with all this eating into her summer hols and absolutely no clarity or a plan, as they keep on adding the lost weeks onto the end.

[mrbojangles]

Good news. The school have just e-mailed and she can go in tomorrow.

[mrbojangles]

Well that was short lived. Went to pick up the daughter to be told the school is closed again. Apparently some parents had complained about a few schools opening in the Chonburi area and the gov got in touch to tell them to close again.

 

I really don't know if this is a right hand, left hand confusion on the schools part or changing instructions on the local gov part. The school has delayed 3 weeks already adhering to gov instructions so I can't see the school re-opening without consent.

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, mrbojangles said:

Well that was short lived. Went to pick up the daughter to be told the school is closed again. Apparently some parents had complained about a few schools opening in the Chonburi area and the gov got in touch to tell them to close again.

 

I really don't know if this is a right hand, left hand confusion on the schools part or changing instructions on the local gov part. The school has delayed 3 weeks already adhering to gov instructions so I can't see the school re-opening without consent.

Cases are rising rapidly in Chonburi. No school will risk opening, when most are shut. There will be hell to pay if an outbreak occurs in a school - Just one infected parent can cause it, via their child introducing the infection to their classmates and teachers. 

[brewsterbudgen]

21 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Cases are rising rapidly in Chonburi. No school will risk opening, when most are shut. There will be hell to pay if an outbreak occurs in a school - Just one infected parent can cause it, via their child introducing the infection to their classmates and teachers. 

 

I think it's unavoidable that there will be outbreaks connected to schools once they re-open.  Just look what happened in the UK.  But keeping schools closed for months on end is doing more damage.

[mrbojangles]

14 minutes ago, DavisH said:

. No school will risk opening, when most are shut. 

 

But they did open. Its an International school so coming towards the end of the year. They delayed the opening after Easter and cancelled on line learning, then finally opened today and then told us they have to close again. I wasn't posting about how covid spreads, I think we are all aware of that, this was about the absolute mess in communication and lack of planning.

 

I would Caveat on the ways of the spreading is that the kids seem far more aware in school of distancing than ma and pa do in the local markets. You only get Education once in your life and it should be number 1 priority to get kids in school. IMO of course

[jayboy]

It would be interesting to know views on the likely extent of the current closure. There seems no prospect of either private or government schools opening in August and my hunch, based on the state of the pandemic/ vaccination rollout, is that September and even October will also be ruled out completely.Any views?

[brewsterbudgen]

4 minutes ago, jayboy said:

It would be interesting to know views on the likely extent of the current closure. There seems no prospect of either private or government schools opening in August and my hunch, based on the state of the pandemic/ vaccination rollout, is that September and even October will also be ruled out completely.Any views?

Regrettably I agree, although much will depend on what the situation is like mid-August. Any decision to continue the closure or to re-open will be last minute!  However, there should be online learning, certainly in private schools.

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Still online learning out here at my humble Issan govt school. Though I'm lucky if I get half my students to show up to our scheduled classes. We're doing Line Groups, Google Forms, sending voice or video clips, sometimes they just write in their notebooks and post a photo. The majority's indifference was inevitable, yet it still puts a tear in the eye to see a few still diligently working, despite the circumstances.

[DavisH]

On 7/23/2021 at 8:21 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Regrettably I agree, although much will depend on what the situation is like mid-August. Any decision to continue the closure or to re-open will be last minute!  However, there should be online learning, certainly in private schools.

I would say schools will be shut for the remainder of the year. Best case scenario is that there will still be dozens of cases at the end of the year, and this alone will keep schools shut. 

[brewsterbudgen]

20 minutes ago, DavisH said:

I would say schools will be shut for the remainder of the year. Best case scenario is that there will still be dozens of cases at the end of the year, and this alone will keep schools shut. 

In that case, they may be closed for the best part of next year as well.  Covid isn't going to disappear. There will be "dozens of cases" for the foreseeable future.  

[DavisH]

On 7/28/2021 at 8:20 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

In that case, they may be closed for the best part of next year as well.  Covid isn't going to disappear. There will be "dozens of cases" for the foreseeable future.  

It's possible. remember we were shut all last June, 2020, with no recorded cases for that time. Even now, very few foreign teachers in my school are vaccinated (Thai teachers got sinovac weeks ago). And I don't know one foreign teacher who wants to return to school unvaccinated. 

[thaitom]

15 hours ago, DavisH said:

It's possible. remember we were shut all last June, 2020, with no recorded cases for that time. Even now, very few foreign teachers in my school are vaccinated (Thai teachers got sinovac weeks ago). And I don't know one foreign teacher who wants to return to school unvaccinated. 

Where do you work ? I am fully vaccinated, and I am looking for a job.

 

[DavisH]

8 hours ago, thaitom said:

Where do you work ? I am fully vaccinated, and I am looking for a job.

 

Nonthaburi...we are all teaching online at the moment, and for the foreseeable future. No vacancies atm, sorry:)

[MrJ2U]

Oh my God.

 

My 7 year old daughter just gave me a thumbs up.

 

My wifes an ex-teacher/GoGo bargirl so shes got the teaching under control.

Its like 5 hours of online learning.  Its a bit much I think in front of a computer.

 

[jayboy]

My sense, having talked to a few international school parents, is that some criteria need to fulfilled on COVID safety before children return to school.In summary every adult in the home and school environment will have to have received two jabs before a return to school is agreed.

[thaitom]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

My sense, having talked to a few international school parents, is that some criteria need to fulfilled on COVID safety before children return to school.In summary every adult in the home and school environment will have to have received two jabs before a return to school is agreed.

That makes no sense at all.  Vaccines don't keep you from getting it and spreading it.

[jayboy]

23 minutes ago, thaitom said:

That makes no sense at all.  Vaccines don't keep you from getting it and spreading it.

I suppose those who contract Covid but because they are vaccinated avoid very serious illness, hospitalization and possibly death might think it makes a bit of sense. As to spreading Covid, those who are vaccinated and contract it have a lower viral load.Thus while it's possible they may spread it, the risks are lower.

 

In short your second sentence is correct.Your first sentence makes no sense at all.

[Bangkokhatter]

It's a proper farce with no plan in place or clarity of thought regarding our children being able to go back.

 

We sent our daughter up country just before the travel restrictions were in place, primarily to visit the grandparents and to have a bit of freedom on the family farm.

 

This morning she started at the local government school which is opening a few days a weeks from today. Should be an interesting experience for her, coming from an International school, but i think it is a better option than just trying online learning.

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, jayboy said:

My sense, having talked to a few international school parents, is that some criteria need to fulfilled on COVID safety before children return to school.In summary every adult in the home and school environment will have to have received two jabs before a return to school is agreed.

Do you think international schools will refund fees in full if an "adult in the home environment" is unvaccinated, meaning that the child cannot return to school?  Could be problematic unless the schools facilitate vaccinations for all concerned.

[thaitom]

10 minutes ago, jayboy said:

I suppose those who contract Covid but because they are vaccinated avoid very serious illness, hospitalization and possibly death might think it makes a bit of sense. As to spreading Covid, those who are vaccinated and contract it have a lower viral load.Thus while it's possible they may spread it, the risks are lower.

 

In short your second sentence is correct.Your first sentence makes no sense at all.

That is not what the CDC website says, at least in regard to the Delta variant. " If you are fully vaccinated and become infected with the Delta variant, you can spread the virus to others."

[MrJ2U]

On 7/23/2021 at 8:14 AM, jayboy said:

It would be interesting to know views on the likely extent of the current closure. There seems no prospect of either private or government schools opening in August and my hunch, based on the state of the pandemic/ vaccination rollout, is that September and even October will also be ruled out completely.Any views?

Definitely hard on my wife.  She's got to be close by as shes just 7 years old.

 

Funny I like having my daughter being home schooled.  Shes so sweet.

I help with our 20 month old boys.  Hes a handful!

 

All that screen time.  I think its to much.  3 hours max or the kids get bored and dont absorb much.

 

 

[jayboy]

4 minutes ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Do you think international schools will refund fees in full if an "adult in the home environment" is unvaccinated, meaning that the child cannot return to school?  Could be problematic unless the schools facilitate vaccinations for all concerned.

I don't suppose so.Having said that I would have thought the majority of parents will be fully vaccinated by the end of October.

[jayboy]

7 minutes ago, thaitom said:

That is not what the CDC website says, at least in regard to the Delta variant. " If you are fully vaccinated and become infected with the Delta variant, you can spread the virus to others."

You are correct.What you omit however is CDC's statement that the vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death in vaccinated people.

[brewsterbudgen]

2 minutes ago, jayboy said:

I don't suppose so.Having said that I would have thought the majority of parents will be fully vaccinated by the end of October.

I'm aware that Shrewsbury arranged vaccinations for parents.  If schools were to insist that parents are vaccinated they should do this as plenty of people have been unable to get jabbed.