Board implementing safety measures after teachers’ deaths

National
Grade 11 students from Lae Secondary School walking home after the school was closed last Friday. – Nationalpic by LARRY ANDREW

By GLORIA BAUAI
THE Morobe education division is implementing new safety measures in schools after five teachers died of the Coronavirus (Covid-19), says programme adviser Keith Tangui.
To protect teachers, the provincial education board (PEB) agreed to allow take-home work for the remainder of the school year.
According to a circular released this week, teachers will prepare homework and assignments for students to do at home in Week Seven.
Tangui said students would return their home assignments, researches, exercises and projects to be marked during Week Eight.
There will be additional take-home work in Week Nine.
In Week 10, teachers will do the marking, recording and completion of students’ assessment cards for parents to pick up in Week 11.
It will also be the end of the 2021 academic year.
“This is not a holiday so teachers must be present at school for the remaining weeks to Dec 10,” he said.
“Only the students will be working from home.
“This way, we protect everyone and complete all lessons meant for this year.”
The bodies of the deceased teachers are in the Covid-19 mortuary waiting to be repatriated.
He confirmed that the teachers were from schools in Finschhafen, Markham and Menyamya.
“We don’t want to lose more teachers,” he said.
“Vaccination for teachers is voluntary, but we urge that all take care and observe the Niupla Pasin because teachers are important.”