Many schools have shifted from distance learning to in-person classes and back again after some reported school-linked COVID-19 transmissions, raising fears for the health of students and staff.
England Secondary Schools Sent Students To Isolate
In England, around 18% of secondary schools have sent students home to isolate in the past week owing to fears of new coronavirus cases although no data was released regarding which schools.
General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton, said the scenario "reflects the extremely tough circumstances in which schools are operating due to the impact of COVID."
While remote learning is still practiced by some schools in the UK there are others that are keen to reopen. Some countries have seen success in operating in-person classes.
Still, Barton said there was increasing concern that "schools lack the support from the government" as they navigate through distance learning whenever a student or staff member falls ill.
U.S. Schools Make Tough Choices
In Panama City, Florida, the local department of education found a way to make things easier for students and teachers forced into distance learning. The state is one of the hardest-hit in the U.S.
A universal platform called "Canvas" was established to teach students who enrolled in online classes. About 21% of the nearly 21,000 students enrolled in the Bay Link district are doing remote learning.
For teachers, adopting the Canvas platform for distance learning remains a learning process not just for the students. On the other hand, district teachers believe versatility will help them make remote learning easier for the students.
In Miami-Dade, some pre-K, kindergarten and first graders returned to in-person classes earlier this week for the first time in six months.
The back-to-school protocols in the county proved a striking difference from how schools looked like before COVID-19. Lines were unusually long owing to social distancing and children had to sanitize hands before entering classrooms.
Blue circles with "stand here" signs were posted in cafeterias. Yellow squares with "sit here" signs were placed on cafeteria chairs.
Some schools continue to operate online, while others in the U.S. have moved under government pressure to reopen despite fears of COVID-19.
Singapore To Resume Some CCAs
As Singapore continues to gradually reopen, the Ministry of Education announced Wednesday that more co-curricular activities (CCAs) will be allowed to resume for primary, secondary and junior college.
Starting mid-October, the ministry's outdoor adventure learning centers will resume non-residential activities and learning as part of the ministry's easing curbs on education.
Among the safety precautions include at least 1-meter distance for activities that require the use of masks, 2 meters for unmasked activities and the "group of five" rule for events where social distancing can't be maintained.
Furthermore, the ministry said all educational facilities where CCAs resume need to properly disinfect high-touch points after the end of each activity.
For high-risk events and activities, up to 50 people only will be allowed to take part as the National School Games and the Singapore Youth Festival Arts Presentation resumes starting 2021.
Over 82% Of UAE Schools In Remote Learning
In the United Arab Emirates, 82.86% of schools are operating on distance learning as the government asked the education ministry to implement the remote learning system through the end of the last academic year.
The National Crisis and Emergency Management Authority said education will continue despite changes in the learning system since the UAE has displayed "infrastructure readiness" in terms of technology.
The UAE has logged more than 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases but unlike some other countries the government has promised to support education.
