COVID – 19 Implications for Instruction
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) by Teachers
1. Will school closure apply to all educational institutions (Pre-schools, primary, secondary and tertiary)?
As long as the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis has mandated that children’s movements are restricted and learning institutions are to be kept closed, then all schools and educational institutions within the Federation will be required to comply.
2. Can teachers and/or schools arrange for small group instruction to support continued preparation of students for national and regional exams?
Teachers can only use an online platform for such a gathering. Students and teachers are to respect the order from the Ministry of National Security for no gathering of children in groups of any size in any community. Therefore, students should not gather in public for any purpose, in or out of school.
3. What is the plan for national examinations (e.g. Test of Standards, secondary level common exams)?
Decisions regarding national examinations will be communicated subsequently. The Ministry of Education will continue to monitor the situation in St. Kitts and Nevis and inform the public accordingly.
4. What impact will COVID-19 have on regional exams (CSEC, CAPE)?
The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), the regional body responsible for CCSLC, CSEC, CVQ and CAPE Exams, has indicated that usual structure of the examinations will be changed. The May/June 2020 Schedule of Examinations is being revised with July, 2020 as the proposed date to administer the revised examinations. Teachers (and their students) are encouraged to visit the CXC Learning Hub at www.cxc.org for access to multiple resources that can assist students’ preparation. As CXC shares further information with the Ministry of Education, additional updates would be given.
5. Will teachers be required to report for work during a period of school closure beyond the Easter break?
The reporting of teachers will be guided by the decisions of the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis acting on the recommendation of the National COVID-19 Task Force regarding social distancing in the public sector.
6. Will teachers provide online instruction to students through virtual classrooms should the closure of schools extended beyond the Easter break?
Yes. The Ministry of Education has developed a plan which will support the process of teaching and learning utilizing virtual instruction. Teachers will be supported in this process. When called upon, teachers are to make themselves available for training.
7. What online platform will be used for instruction in virtual classroom environments?
The Ministry is currently reviewing several platforms and will share the decision once the selection process is completed.
8. How will teachers be trained to meet the demands of teaching on an online platform?
The Ministry of Education will facilitate teachers’ training using various modalities. Where possible, both virtual and face to face training will be done. All face to face training for teachers will be guided by the mandate set forward by the National COVID19 Task Force regarding distancing.
9. How will teachers monitor students’ learning and assessments using virtual education?
The selected online learning platform will have the capacity to connect teachers and students directly. Teachers will have the means to directly engage students, provide guidance and track students’ participation on the platform (e.g. registration, attendance, completion of assignments etc.)