Schools to implement preventative measures ahead of reopening

State and private primary and secondary school administrators should implement precautionary measures in readiness for reopening and to prevent further outbreaks of the coronavirus.
This was the recommendation of the Ministry of Education and Sports and National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control on Tuesday.
The advice comes after the government officially approved the resumption of classes for Grade 5 at primary school and Grades 4 and 7 at secondary school on May 18.
The measures for reopening schools include school administrators keeping their premises clean to reduce the risk of infections by cleaning classrooms and grounds and spraying disinfectant around their facilities.
Administrative staff, teachers and students must wear face masks at all times at school, as well as parents picking up their children.
Teachers should arrange suitable seating for students with social distancing of at least one metre and everyone must have their body temperature checked before entering school premises.
School administrators, teachers and parents should monitor student temperatures closely. Anyone with flu-like symptoms will be taken to a hospital for observation or ordered to stay at home.
If you have any flu-like symptoms, please inform the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and call the free hotline numbers 165 and 166 at any time.
The ministry also proposed the committee donate soap, hand gel, face masks, temperature monitors and build washbasins for schools before their reopening.
For outdoor sporting activities, the ministry has approved people playing sports and exercising in public parks, including walking, jogging, cycling, aerobic dancing and golf.
However, sporting participants are advised to strictly follow instructions from the task force committee, which are essential to prevent any further outbreak.
Everyone must wear face masks while playing sports and exercising, and golf clubs must keep their premises, carts and equipment clean.
These numerous measures were recommended for the education and sports sectors after the government officially approved the resumption of classes for Grade 5 at primary school and Grades 4 and 7 at secondary school on May 18.
Classes for other grades along with tertiary institutions and early childhood education such as kindergartens will remain suspended until they receive official approval from the National Taskforce Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
Schools have been closed temporarily since March 19 to prevent community transmission of COVID-19 amid the global pandemic.
Students have been continuing their studies online for important subjects with study programmes broadcast on television and government online social media pages every day.
Meanwhile, many schools have given students homework, and teachers are using social media apps to contact their students and support them in their studies.

By Keoviengkhone Bounviseth
(Latest Update May 8, 2020)