Schools set to welcome pupils on September 19

Nearly 56,569 teachers, 10,900 administrators, technical staff, and other faculty members, were back on duty in 2,000 public schools after nearly 17 months of lull caused by the Covid-19, as Oman started the academic year on Sunday.

Although teachers and other staff have returned to schools, children will begin their academic year on September 19, helping both teachers and parents to get ready for hybrid lessons.

Children will attend their classes from next Sunday for the first time, while many students are yearning to feel the school after their initial days were disrupted in the wake of the pandemic.

“All our teachers and staff members are here today, preparing the lessons for nearly 900 children including that of 10, 11 and 12 classes as the government has ordered all classes in schools with high density to begin on September 19’’, Sulaiman bin Saud al Jabri, administration officer of Imam Jabir bin Said school in Wattayah, told the Observer.

He added that Grades (1-6) will be operated according to blended education system (week by week), with the exception of low-density schools where number of students does not exceed 20 students in one class, which will be 100 per cent operated by offline system by following all precautionary measures.

Grades (11-7) will be operated 100 per cent through direct education system, except for schools where number of students exceed more than 30 in one class, will be operated by blended education system (week by week), while adhering to precautionary health measures.

Grade 12 will be operated 100 per cent by direct education system, while adhering to all precautionary measures.

Schools with grades (1-2 ), (5-10 ) (1-6) will have separate wings for the respective categories of students.

Schools welcomed teachers of all subjects including Physics, Physical Education, Social studies, Chemistry, Health Management, Islamic Studies, Mathematics and languages like Arabic to prepare for the academic classes.

“No compromise on safety and security of children as well as teachers will be made and vaccination certificate and face mask are must for all those who enter the school. Sanitiser dispensers are placed at all reachable points and kids will be trained to follow Covid protocols,” said Yahya bin Saleh al Jabri of another public school.

On the other hand, many private and community schools are planning to start offline classes.

“I have been attending offline classes with minimum student strength since many weeks, in addition to offline classes which we have been receiving since many months,” said Mariah Siju, student of an international school.

Meanwhile, Indian Schools, the largest community schools with nearly 45,000 children across the country, are in talks with the Ministry of Education to open the schools.

“Mostly within a month we expect to start offline classes. But we have yet to finalise the plans for reopening and discussions with the ministry are on,” said Dr Sivakumar Manickam, Chairman of the Board of Indian Schools.

All Indian schools follow different academic year (during normal times) and this time too, it will be different, according to the chairman.