MINISTER PREMILA KUMAR'S PRESS STATEMENT

SCHOOL RE-OPENING
 
The recent bad weather -- including TC Cody and the eruption in Tonga -- over the past two weeks led us to close schools. Nine schools were severely flooded during TC Cody but no major damage was sustained, and 58 schools were used as evacuation centres.
 
As a result of the tidal surges stemming from the eruption, two schools were inundated with water and 8 schools were used as evacuation centres. Only one school is still being used as evacuation centre.
 
All schools used as evacuation centres are being cleaned, decontaminated and cleared by the MHMS.
 
With the weather finally clearing up, we are ready to bring our years 8-13 students back in for face to face classes. Because our children's education is far too important to remain on indefinite hold.
 
As we prepare to resume classes, I want to re-emphaise the message we've communicated from the start of this term: Parents, guardians, teachers, heads of schools and community members- all of us are in this together and all of us have part to play in enabling Fiji's students to return to school as soon and safely as possible.
 
Our schools were closed for eight months through the pandemic during which our students lost a combined 200 million hours of in-person learning. We used those eight months to ready the nation to safely re-open our classrooms in every way possible. We used that time to fully vaccinate every teacher and staff member, as well as 90% of Fijians above the age of 15.
 
And we used that time to develop multi-layered protocols -- with the full support of UNICEF and the World Health Organisation --that cover our children from the community, to the bus, to the classrooms -- including requirements for temperature screening, correct and consistent masking, physical distancing, increased ventilation, registered visitor tracing through the care FIJI app, regular disinfection of surfaces and specific protocols for positive cases.
 
All of these measures, implemented together, reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and make it safe to learn.
 
All transport vehicles are required to enforce COVID safety protocols. Yes, that requires additional oversight from bus companies and drivers. We are asking that from them because they are carrying our children to school and we need them to take that responsibility seriously. Parents need to do their part as well by making sure their children mask up and follow all other COVID safe protocols. We all need to do our part, and I cannot stress this enough.
 
Re-opening schools is not only a government objective, it is a generational priority that we all need to shoulder. We know that the data shows that schools are not major drivers of COVID transmission. Regardless, we need to make sure that our schools are run as safely as possible so that our children can remain healthy and focused on learning.
 
Based on the multiple prevention approach, the Ministry undertook the following actions to ensure all schools across the country are safe and ready for the safe return for all children to in-person learning:
 
a.     Teachers and school heads underwent rigorous COVID Safe Re-opening training programs. All teachers and staff members have also been vaccinated. All schools were inspected by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts officials to ensure they met the required COVID safety standards.
 
b.    Thermometers have been distributed to all schools which will support more than 200,000 children along with teachers and visitors in all schools around Fiji to have their temperature checked before entering the classrooms.
 
The fact remains that there will never be a day when our schools can open with zero risk of COVID transmission. This virus will become part of life in Fiji and around the world. And the education of our children -- the most important investment we make in our future -- must find its place in our new normal way of living. 
 
It is our duty to open our schools and enforce all COVID-safe measures as strongly as possible. By opening schools, we are giving our students a choice to access their teachers and in-person learning. Ultimately, the decision of whether to send children to school resides with parents. And we respect that.
 
If you see students at school or on a bus who are not following those measures, you have a choice: You can do the wrong thing and take a photo, post it on Facebook and make a spectacle out of that child, OR you can do the responsible thing by asking that child to put their mask back on or to follow whatever rule they are breaking. You can make sure that you are wearing your mask and adhering to other COVID safe habits and you can urge children to do the same. You can help us get our students back in school where they belong and help them become the leaders and innovators they are capable of being. It is all of our responsibilities to be safe and help keep our children and the community safe as well.

When we adhere to COVID safe measures in the community, we help bring our children back to school. So, I urge everyone to observe COVID safe protocols at all times. We must reduce the transmission rate in the community so our children can return to school safely.
 
Our future depends on all of us choosing to be examples of COVID safety and it depends on all of us urging our children, our grandchildren, our nieces and nephews, and our neighbours to follow suit. The choice is ours. And your government knows clearly where we stand.
 
Supported by our internationally-accredited protocols and subject to the weather clearing up, we plan for Years 8 to 13 students to resume face to face classes from Monday, 24 January 2022. We will confirm that re-opening date by this Friday, 21 January.
 
Thank you.