Ministry of Education: Just over 1 percent of teachers doing hybrid learning have COVID-19

Published by BBNTEAM at January 13, 2022

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Posted: Thursday, January 13, 2022. 5:51 pm CST.

By Benjamin Flowers: The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology ( MOECST), says that, while reports of children and teachers engaged in hybrid learning are contracting COVID-19, the situation is not as bad as it seems, with just over 1 percent of teachers and fewer than 1 percent of students engaged in hybrid learning are actually infected.

The MOECST said that, as of today, January 13, 2022, 569 schools were approved for transition into hybrid learning, which includes face-to-face classes. This represents around 94% of all schools nationwide, with 343 or 60.3% of all schools physically reopening for in-class learning. The Ministry went on to say that, between January 10th and January 13th, the Ministry has, via our COVID-19 Reporting System, received confirmation of 108 cases of COVID-19 affecting teachers and 125 cases of COVID-19 affecting students, nationwide.

“Of the 108 cases affecting teachers, only 17 were recorded among teachers who were actively engaging in hybrid learning. When compared to cases among students, out of the 125 cases confirmed, 43 were confirmed among students who were actively engaging in hybrid learning. Between the same time period,1,626 teachers and 17,198 students were actively engaging in hybrid learning. Therefore, the cases recorded among teachers affected 1.04% of teachers actively engaging in hybrid learning and among students, the rate was even lower, with cases affecting only 0.25% of all students actively engaging in hybrid learning,” the Ministry said.

The Ministry said that the responses to confirmed cases affecting teachers and students actively engaging in hybrid learning were prompt, and its information shows that those cases are appearing in persons who have recently attended social functions or are close contacts of individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19.

“Furthermore, considering the time when schools have been open and the usual incubation period for the COVID-19 virus, we can safely say that all cases being recorded are not a result of any school activity,” the MOESCT added.

The Ministry continues to plead with parents to monitor children displaying flu-like symptoms and ensure that all guidelines for quarantining of confirmed cases are adhered to. The ministry notes that those guidelines can be accessed from its social media platforms, website, and on its Education Data and Information Hub.

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