Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand says that teachers will be using a ‘consolidated’ curriculum, which she insists, is necessary for educators to better teach students who were unable to have access to education during the pandemic.
“When we closed schools, it was because COVID-19 was present in the world and in our country and there is no way to stop community spread but by staying home.
“From then to now the world has responded in the way we know human beings and the resilience that we show across countries… We respond generally as a human race with alacrity, innovation, and resilience… as a result of which many vaccines were developed.”
Minister Manickchand said studies across the world by internationally renowned bodies said “the longer we stay out of school, the more likely we are to suffer from severe learning loss and premature school leaving.”
In this regard, she noted that the reopening of schools will prevent this from being a long-term issue, as the consolidated curriculum will enable educators to understand how they should teach.
Meanwhile, Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Quenita Walrond-Lewis said the curriculum allows for adjustments to timelines and supports continued learning.
“The consolidated curriculum is a shared vision of how teaching and learning are to unfold and ensure students are on track after such prolong period away from school doors, from at home learning and it’s to be utilised nationally.”
She added that teachers are appreciative of this curriculum since it provides them with teaching and learning strategies and is easily understood.
Walrond-Lewis said the teachers will be given two curriculums, one for the year students have missed and the other for the grade they are currently in. This will allow them to understand the student’s developmental progress.
A package that will be given to nursery students when school reopens
“So, we are trying to in a very cohesive way, reach back and think about where students ended their academic journey and then try to work our way forward towards where they need to be by grade level.” Additionally, teachers across the country have been trained, based on where students are, to use the consolidated curriculum from a prior grade level to move forward to meet grade-level expectations. (Extracted and modified from the Department of Public Information)
