I am delighted to welcome Years 12 and 13 students back to their classes after six and half months. We know that face to face learning is vital for the academic achievement, mental and physical health, and overall well-being of our students.
I also want to express my heartfelt thanks for the incredible strength and resilience shown by our students, teachers, Ministry staff, parents and guardians during this challenging period. Their collective effort assisted students to continue with their learning remotely using digital platforms and weekly home study packages.
The Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts has worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to make your school environment safe. A COVID Safe protocol is now in place, which must be complied with by students, teachers, and ancillary staff. The Ministry of Health will be visiting schools on a regular basis to ensure that the COVID Safe School Reopening Guideline is being followed.
I ask all parents and guardians to please ensure that children who are not feeling well do not attend schools.
Vaccines are our best defence against COVID-19. We have obtained 80% national vaccination target well before the anticipated date which has enabled us to get you back to school safely. I thank our students for coming out in numbers for vaccination. Although vaccination for students is not mandatory, we are urging students who are not vaccinated to please get vaccinated for their safety and for the safety of others.
This is an important term for you as you complete your 2021 syllabus and prepare for your external examinations.
I expect you to study hard and obtain good marks to make your entry into tertiary and technical institutions easier. Good marks will qualify you for the Toppers Scheme, as well as TELS. I encourage you to take full advantage of the face-to-face interactions with your teachers.
We care about your success, and we want you to let us know if you are experiencing any difficulties so that the counselors, teachers or Head of Schools can assist you.
We all understand how essential school reopening is and we need to get all students from ECE to Year 11 back as quickly as possible. Let’s keep working together to ensure our children are safe, as they return to schools.
Best Wishes!
Premila Kumar
Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts