More than 10,000 day and boarding schools have resumed on-site classes, with the over 20,000 schools remaining expected to follow suit for on-site, online or on-air learning within the next two weeks, said Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Education Kalaya Sophonpanich today.
Dr. Suwanchai Wattanayingcharoenchai, director-general of the Department of Health, said that over 35,000 schools nation-wide have passed the “Thai Stop COVID Plus” assessments by the Ministry of Public Health for safe reopening for on-site learning.
He said, however, that final approval will have to be given by the communicable disease committee of each province before the schools will be allowed to resume on-site classes. The remaining schools, about 20,000 of them, which have joined the assessment programme are in the process of improving their facilities to meet safety standards.
Although on-site classes have resumed, Dr. Suwanchai said that the schools will still be subject to periodical assessment to ensure safety standards are strictly maintained.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said in his Facebook post today (Thursday) that he expects schools under the supervision of the City Hall to be ready for reopening for on-site classes on November 15th.
He disclosed that more than 96% of 14,493 teachers in schools run by the city’s administration have received two vaccine doses, while 94% of other school staff have also been fully inoculated.
As far as students are concerned, he said 34,287 (92%) of all high-school students have volunteered for vaccinations. 90% have received their first dose and 76% have received two shots, with the vaccination program continuing, he said.
The governor said that all the schools which are to reopen must pass assessment by the Public Health Ministry and adopt the “sandbox” safety zone school measures, as laid down by the Education Ministry and the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA).
