Schools In ‘Low Risk’ Areas To Reopen
UPDATE: MoEYS has now confirmed ‘low risk’ areas will be allowed to open schools- with strict rules and maximum of 15 students. Priority is being given to Grades 9 and 12.
Phnom Penh: Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the Prime Minister, confirmed to the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports to reopen schools, especially schools In rural areas where there is no COVID 19 infection.
According to the voice message of the PM, which lasted more than 14 minutes, on August 31, 2021, some comments were made to the Minister of Education regarding the reopening of schools across the country.
“Due to the fact that across the country, COVID has spread and accumulated in cities and towns, rural areas seem to have very little, and some provinces are almost non-existent, but we have also closed schools. Therefore, I request HE Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, to discuss with the provinces to open school locations where “There are no cases of COVID.” The Royal Government is now vaccinating children and young people from the age of 12 to 18 years.
Vaccination status so far among more than 2 million children between the ages of 12 and 18. More than 1.5 million have been vaccinated.
In rural schools where there is no infection, some will be able to open before others nationwide.
“We should choose villages and communes that do not have this disease and let our boys and girls come in (to study),” he said. Keeping a gap, maintaining health measures and necessary measures students to attend school…. if we continue to close schools, if we do not separate the infected and non-infected places, it will be possible (that) students drop out of school or even forget students.”
At the same time, Samdech also said that despite the creation of online learning, in rural areas and for poor children It is not possible and there is no internet to learn online.
The PM further stated that because in the town and city, there is internet to learn online, lessons can be combined both inside and outside the classroom. In addition, when all children and young people are vaccinated, schools can fully reopen.
“We have to work hard to solve this problem, ‘open schools,’ and where there is a lot of infection, continue to study,” he said.