Basseterre: St. Kitts, April 16, 2021: A meeting of Ministry of Education officials with senior management teams of the BHS, WAHS and other stakeholders held on Friday 16 April determined that the shift system should remain in effect until the end of the current school year for those two schools.
Speaking with the Education Media Unit, Permanent Secretary Mr. William Hodge stated that input from school administrators and officials of the Ministry of Education resulted in the awaited decision.
This decision was based on the fact that the benefits of the shift system which was implemented as a means of effectively implementing Covid19 Protocols outweigh the obstacles that would have to be overcome in returning the school system to full-day operation at this time.
Challenges associated with a full day of Face to Face instruction revolve around the brevity of the third term. Other factors include the reworking of the timetable and the need for additional human resources.
Students of the Basseterre High and Washington Archibald High Schools will therefore continue to attend school on the shift system as of Monday 19th April, as they have been since the shift system was implemented in September 2020.
The Permanent Secretary added that barring unforeseen circumstances, the Ministry expects that all schools will start off with a Full Day of In-School Instruction come September 2021.