DPS Adama Jimba Jobe
As grades 7 to 12 students resumed sessions on Wednesday, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) Programs at the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has said that schools in the urban areas will go in for more alternation and double shifting that schools in the rural Gambia.
“The enrolment of students in urban schools like St. Therese and LatriKunda Sabiji Upper Basic Schools, Serekunda and Bundung Lower Basic Schools and Gambia Senior Secondary Schools are high compare to schools in the rural Gambia where the enrolment size of some schools are not high,” DPS Jobe explained.
According to DPS Jobe, going in for double shifting is entirely based on the administrators to decide but as a ministry, he went on, what they always emphasized is that schools need to adhere to MoH and WHO covid-19 measures in their schools.
DPS Adama Jimba Jobe said some schools need alternate school’s days and double shifting while others don’t need double shifting because a school with a population of less hundred doesn’t need to go in for double shifting at all.
He said MoBSE is concern about the safety of the students and teachers and for that reason they gave the teachers, SMCs, as regard to what they are supposed to do in schools in terms of Covid-19 prevention at school level.
DPS Jobe explained that using of face masks in schools is a health requirement. School heads were provided with covid-19 health guidelines and when we talk about the reopening of schools, enrolment size of students are important.
“It will be difficult as at now to say this is the method the schools will use but it is the school’s administrations who should see what is good for them in their schools,” says DPS Jobe.