Effects of Covid-19 on Education Worldwide

[Big Boy]

It would be very inconsistent if it was Bangkok only, but by delegating power to regional governors, the entire Covid thing has been inconsistent.

[handdrummer]

It's the educational equivalent of keep them barefoot and pregnant.
An uneducated populous is easier to control.
Re: no air conditioning allowed in schools. Has the govt. turned off the air conditioning in their offices and parliament?

[PeteC]

International Schools here are allowed to re-open June 15, but only after the Gov inspects the facility. As these inspections apparently haven't started yet, that could delay most re-opening until the end of next week, or the week after.

To my knowledge most will be closing for the summer break around June 25, so re-opening at all before Term One of the next school year in mid August seems a silly and needlessly expensive exercise IMO.

[PeteC]

Most or all International Schools re-opening today. The below doesn't sound like much fun. ...but at least the daughter is excited to get out of the house and see her friends etc. Like with other places, I would expect that the below criteria will slowly be amended and eased.
_________________

Social distancing of at least 1m apart will be enforced for all, both indoors and outdoors.

· All students, staff, parents and visitors will be temperature tested on arrival: if any person has a fever of 37.5 C or higher they will not be allowed to continue onto the campus and their details will be logged.

· Compulsory wearing of masks, except when eating and drinking in designated areas at break and lunchtimes.

· Markings will be used in queuing areas to clearly show where people should stand to avoid close contact.

· There will be no school buses as social distancing cannot be guaranteed.

· Lunchtimes will be staggered and students given designated seating areas.

· Students may come to school in PE kit on days that they have PE lessons to avoid the need for changing, and to free up changing rooms for swimmers.

· Rescheduling lessons into larger classrooms where needed.

· Clear signage around the site regarding COVID symptoms and prevention.

1. Equip each child with:

a. 2 masks (one to wear and a spare) both labelled with their initials and class eg: JP 5G

b. A personal water bottle, labelled with their name (avoid single use plastic if possible)

c. A small bottle of hand sanitizer

d. A small packet of tissues

e. A spoon and fork for lunchtime

f. Their normal school resources: bag, books, pencil case etc

2. Explain to your child the importance of at least 1 metre social distancing.

3. Please check your child’s temperature before leaving home each morning, and do not send them to school if they have a temperature of 37.5 or higher (unmedicated), a cold, a runny nose, a cough, a sore throat or any other COVID like symptoms

4. Note that parents may enter the site briefly each morning to bring Primary children to their classroom, but may not enter the classroom itself. Parents must wear masks and adhere to social distancing rules at all times while on the campus.

[Big Boy]

Yes, Hua Hin International School re-opened yesterday. Very similar Covid measures in place.

I was surprised also to see the school at Khao Tao operating, but with just a few kids yesterday.

[Big Boy]

I was surprised also to see the school at Khao Tao operating, but with just a few kids yesterday.

Deserted this morning, so I guess yesterday was a special.

[PeteC]

Well, that didn't go well. Today was a "soft" re-opening with only two grades, 10 and IB1. Tomorrow eight more are added to the mix.

Daughter came home and besides the discomfort of wearing a mask all day and the distancing etc., she says she has no confidence that with an almost full school starting tomorrow that the steps in place and student discipline will work.

She was quite upset about it, and the bottom line seems to be that she is still very scared of this virus and the possible consequences of mixing with a large group of people. She says that even with the older students present today few are taking things seriously.

It puts me in a difficult position as I'm not going to force her to do anything she's uncomfortable with. She needs to regain confidence in the "system" herself.

So, it appears that for the last 7 days of this school year she will return to on-line learning, which is still available in daily assignment form, not "live" on-line form.

She was so excited to go back this morning it's sad to see the about face after she experienced it all.

[Bamboo Grove]

Our schools opened on 14th of May for about two weeks. Most of the kids came back to school but it wasn't totally normal school.

Bamboo Grove wrote on 30.4

We will only have two weeks of the school year left then so it will have no real impact on learning. It will also be very difficult to organize the teaching with other restrictions still in use. These include: the teachers should not be near each other, the different classes shouldn't go near each other, each class should eat on their own etc. I don't even have my own class as I am a subject teacher. Also I teach in three different schools and the teachers shouldn't go to other schools to teach, only their main school. Let's see how it goes, teachers were against this decision but the health experts suggested to reopen the schools.

On the other hand, it is necessary to slowly start reopening the economy and as the government said that according to the law, there was no reason to keep the schools shut anymore. So we'll go with this and see what happens.

The kids enjoyed seeing and being with each other and although the classes were separated from each other they were happy to be with some of their friends. Not much time to do any real teaching, mainly just reviewing what we had taught during the lock-out. I had very few classes myself because of the restrictions so it was easy time for me. Actually so easy, that I started asking, if I could at least teach some smaller groups.

Two weeks have now gone by since the summer vacation started and the corona situation is still getting better, yesterday and today 4 new infections, all here in capital area.

The biggest problem of the online teaching period was that the inequality between the students grew. Not everyone had the necessary equipment at home and not everyone's parents were able to help them. Some enjoyed the independence so much that they did basically nothing during the online period.

These are the main problems that must be solved if the need arises again (2nd wave). This is particularly case with the students in grades 1-9, which are compulsory.

[PeteC]

From what I saw yesterday first hand with only two classes in session, it is a complete impossibility to maintain social distancing in a school environment. The buildings would have to be triple in size to do it correctly with a full contingent of children in attendance, or set up outdoor classes under the large covered areas many schools have.

[Big Boy]

My eldest Granddaughter returns to Uni in Bangkok on Friday 19th, so that has to be a positive.

[PeteC]

Schools/Universities are scheduled to re-open in the UK in September, but that's not written in stone. It will depend very much the situation at the time.

Personally, if I was a Thai, I would rather stay safe in Thailand and defer the education until times are better. No good doing your homework when you're sick or in hospital or worse.

There's a lot to consider financially. Some could lose their scholarships if school is open and they don't attend. Many places also require at least partial tuition payment at the end of the previous year for the school year starting in September. It could turn into a very complicated can of worms.....and probably will for many.

[HHTel]

As usual, the pandemic will cut through many existing contractual regulations. Online study can replace face to face courses which otherwise was a no-no.
One of the problems with online study outside of the country means a student would have to pay full health care fees, currently around 300 quid a year.

Much more info here:

https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information-- ... l-students

Information for current international students
Many schools, universities and colleges will be transitioning to more online tuition and alternative examination arrangements, but staff will continue to support you in your own institution. Your school or university should be in contact regarding new arrangements and are who you should contact for further information.

From this site:
https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/mov ... oronavirus

[buksida]

Officials mull full reopening of schools
The Public Health and Education ministries are looking to restore normal classroom operations given that no new Covid-19 transmissions have been recorded since the beginning of the new term almost a month ago.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), said it had authorised the Department of Disease Control under the Ministry of Public Health to work with the Education Ministry to assess the situation in schools nationwide since most campuses reopened on July 1.

The assessment found that all schools and other educational institutions had so far been free of Covid-19 infections.

It also showed that young people face a lower risk of contracting Covid-19. In Thailand, those aged less than nine years old make up 1.9% of all Covid-19 patients, while those aged 10 to 19 account for 3.8% of infected people.

Dr Taweesilp said there had been no clusters of transmissions in either group. Disease control experts explained that children's nose cavities are less susceptible to catching the virus.

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... of-schools

I certanly do hope they're fully open. Since schools "opened" on the first of this month, ours have attended for less than 8 days in total due to all the bloody holidays they keep inventing. I mean, what is the point?!

[PeteC]

What fun, we can play peekaboo all day!

Full Classrooms to Return to Thailand Schools

php6aheL5AM.jpg (79.43 KiB) Viewed 769 times

https://bangkokherald.com/thailand/full ... d-schools/

Thailand schools will return to full classrooms after cruising through their first
month of alternate-day schedules without any new cases of Covid-19.

Dr. Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation
Administration, said Monday that young students posed few risks of coronavirus
infection because their nasal cavities were smaller than adults’ and because Covid-
19 did not flare again after schools reopened July 1.

Alternate-day schooling at about 4,500 schools affected both learning and social
development of youngsters and impacted homelife as parents had to find
guardians or stay home from work, he said.

For the full-scale service resumption, management at schools must place desks as
far as possible from each another, open windows of air-conditioned classrooms
during breaks and record respiratory illnesses. Local educational and health
officials would supervise the schools, he said.

The Public Health Ministry found that 99.4% of schools applied such measures
and the number of ill students dropped to only 687 with coughs, fevers, runny
noses or sore throats. None of the cases were Covid-19.

[PeteC]

Does the size of your nasal cavities really make a difference?! That's the first I've heard that one, and it's coming from the head Covid honcho.