Schools to physically reopen Sept 7, online classes to continue until July 3

The Education Ministry has announced that online classes/distance learning will be continuing until July 3.

 Karl Samuda, the minister with responsibility for education, said schools will physically reopen on September 7, 2020.

In the meantime, Samuda says high school placements under the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) will be released on June 26.

Speaking at Jamaica House on Monday, Samuda said their grade four literacy and numeracy test scores, their grade five performance task and their grade six abilities test results will be used.

"We recognise that it is not a perfect world anymore and we recognise that it is not as scientifically based as was the previous year and we are expecting to return to normalcy next year. But this year we cannot do anything that will compromise the progress for our children," the minister said.

"There will be a process of assessment and learning for the first 20 days after school reopens so that we can get a good feel for the level at which each child is because they have been denied – many of them – an opportunity to experience the classroom environment," Samuda said.

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