Education Ministry Stops Face-To-Tace Classes In Primary Schools 

Source: Vientiane Times

The Ministry of Education and Sports has ordered an end to face-to-face classes at state and private pre-schools and Grades 1-4 of primary schools in areas that have reported more Covid cases.

Children at these schools will now go back to online lessons.

Students in all higher grades will continue with face-to-face learning but all education institutions must comply with the 10 measures and 40 recommendations laid down by the education ministry to prevent the spread of Covid.

School administrators are advised to coordinate with the local Covid taskforce to assess the virus risk and consider adjusting teaching and learning arrangements depending on the local situation and the advice given by the provincial taskforce.

The education ministry’s Taskforce for Covid-19 Prevention and Control on Wednesday instructed education and sports administrators at all levels, as well as staff and teachers, to continue to work as normal.

However, if an office is crowded and there is a risk of infection with Covid, staff should take it in turns to work from home.

The ministry will also not allow more than 50 people to attend meetings, seminars or training courses.

Groups of less than 50 people can attend meetings in person, but attendees should be well spaced out, with a distance of at least one metre between each participant.

Larger groups should arrange to meet online, the ministry said.

Participants in all in-person meetings must take a Covid-19 test approved by the Ministry of Health, such as a RT-PCR test.

The ministry has instructed provincial Departments of Education and Sports to encourage schoolchildren to get vaccinated against Covid-19, to achieve the vaccination target set by the Ministry of Health.

The education and sports ministry also instructed its administrative staff to ensure its guidelines were followed and to monitor implementation on a regular basis.

Ministry officials should also comply with guidance given by local and national taskforces for Covid-19 prevention and control.

On March 23, a total of 2,625 new infections and one death from Covid were reported across Laos, with Vientiane and the provinces of Savannakhet and Oudomxay reporting significantly more new cases than other areas.

A total of 159,047 Covid cases have been recorded in Laos to date, resulting in 652 deaths. 

Health officials are providing Covid-19 vaccinations for children aged 6 and older, as well as for people of any age who have not yet been vaccinated.

Vaccinations will initially be available at health facilities and then in villages, schools and offices.