Effects of Covid-19 on Education Worldwide

[buksida]

Our eldest has gone back this week, but not the youngest. He had one test last week and they're phasing the opening it seems.

[HHTel]

Don't hold your breath. It appears the schools are very nervous and I'm guessing they'll all close again. More so if the omicron variant appears in Thailand.

Here we go again!

[buksida]

Defo ain't paying that invoice then.

[Big Boy]

So what is actually going on with education in Hua Hin? We had a teacher from Salesian School around last night. He said they were open. My daughter came around earlier and said my granddaughter's school was open, but only 8 kids in her class (granddaughter not included). They've been given a deadline to return to class, or the children's points (whatever they are) will be deducted.

From what I'm hearing, it is more parental fear to send their kids as opposed to schools closing.

My opinion, and I don't know if I'm right, is kids have been vaccinated (OK some children of anti-vaxers will not have been), so if they catch it, symptoms should not be too serious. Likewise with the children's parents. The real risk is to the anti-vaxers, but they are exercising their right to choose - I don't have a problem with that either. We have to stop running from this beast, and get back to some sort of normality

[HHTel]

My grandson has been called to school (Salesian) this morning for his 2nd Pfizer jab. My daughter was 100% told by phone that because of cases being found, the school is closed. He's definitely not being kept out of school by choice. Quite the opposite.

Bewildered!

N.B. My daughter is with my grandson at school this morning. I'll get the lowdown when she gets back. From recollection she was informed that the school would be closed for one or two weeks.

[Big Boy]

And that is what it said in the Thai news reports - I'm not doubting what you are saying. As I said, my Granddaughter reported exactly the same. However, it is seeming more and more that something was mis-reported.

Regarding your grandson's jab, is it definitely at Salesian? We have friends who have been told to take their son to Bluport this morning for his second jab.

Confused? Yep, 110%

[HHTel]

Got it! The school as a whole was not closed only the years/grades where covid was found. That covered 3 or 4 'years'. My grandson is in M1, one of the years affected and the school was 'closed' to those years for 2 weeks. In effect it's a quarantine at home. They seem to think that kids only mix with their own year which prompted them to 'quarantine' the whole year(s). I'm sure they mix with other years at lunch time and morning and afternoon breaks.

So, it is only 'closed' to those years which is M1 and a couple of others.

This morning he got his second jab at Bluport. The first was in the school.

[Big Boy]

Thank you, that makes more sense. Certainly at my granddaughter's school it was parental fear. If I'd realised that from the beginning, I'd have given my daughter a bollocking and told her not to be so stupid. Kids need to get back to normal ASAP as well.

So the jab was the same as my friend's son.

I guess after 2 years of fear, it's going to take a while to get back in the water

[PeteC]

"CITING OMICRON, THAILAND TO REIMPOSE QUARANTINE FOR TOURISTS"

Yes, I'm awaiting emails over the next 2 weeks announcing that International Schools will not reopen after the holiday. I can feel it in my bones!

[PeteC]

As feared International Schools, at least in the East, start on-line January 3. I would imagine this will be true for all IS in the country. Hopefully it will be short lived once the real threat from Omicron is better understood.

[Lost]

As feared International Schools, at least in the East, start on-line January 3. I would imagine this will be true for all IS in the country. Hopefully it will be short lived once the real threat from Omicron is better understood.

I find this outrageous. The learning loss already occurred for students is significant. Remote learning is not an adequate substitute, particularly for primary school students. This virus is not wiping out kids. The damage being done from their school disruptions will far outweigh any damage the virus could do.

In the UK, as of summer '21, we're currently running at something like 1.5 to 3.8 months of learning loss in core subjects due to school disruption and remote learning during the pandemic. These figures were estimated from tests done in summer' 21 compared to tests before the pandemic. Disadvantaged students being the worst affected. Some pedagogical models suggest 3 months' learning loss in primary school will amount to 1 full year of loss in secondary if not remedied.

UK teachers said those studying online covered as little as 60% of the content compared to their in-class peers (those who stayed in-class due to parent's being essential workers).

These short-term disruptions to student's education will have devastating long-term consequences if not dealt with appropriately. Closing schools again is just plain wrong on every single level.

I can't be arsed to cite all the sources for this (mainly peer reviewed studies), but I had to recently write a long and painful academic essay on the subject of school closures and remote-learning

The evidence is shocking. A generation of students is in real danger of having a life-time of academic disadvantage.

But yes, let's close the schools again.

[PeteC]

Daughter's International School here in the east opens normally on Monday. ATK test results to be transmitted to the school on Sunday, and the various declaration forms submitted as well.

So we have this on one hand.....and another part of the government panicking, raising threat codes, restricting venues etc., etc, on the other hand. What's going on, do they really know?!

My personal feeling...by the end of next week there will be positive Omicron cases among students, families, staff, and the school will close once again. Stay tuned....

Edit: The authority to open.

"While there has been a great deal of speculation in the media recently, we are very pleased to inform you that Mr Suphat Champathong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Thailand signed a Ministry of Education official announcement on “Measures to Prevent and Control the Epidemic of Coronavirus 2019 of the Ministry of Education (Additional No. 1)”. Within this official announcement, it is now confirmed that under current guidelines and provisions for educational institutions, we are able to continue to learn on campus like we did last term. Therefore I am pleased to announce that we will open the campus again next week on Monday."

[HHTel]

ATK test results to be transmitted to the school on Sunday,

My grandson's at Salesian on this side of the pond. However, the school carries out all the tests necessary so parents etc are relieved of that responsibility. I'm not sure if other schools are doing the same.

[PeteC]

Our school over here hands out the free test kits if you need one, then the parents do it at home. As the school is just reopening Monday after the term break, they want the tests done and in their hands before any of the kids arrive on Monday.

[buksida]

As many as 1.2 million school-age children have dropped out of school or an equivalent of 16 out of every 100 school children, said Attapol Sangkwasi, secretary-general of the Education Council on Tuesday.

Attapol said factors include poverty, being made orphans, following parents who have to migrate to seek work, and lack of equipment to engage in online education as required during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The situation of students dropping out of schools is still severe... What's more, a Unicef report states that the abilities of students to read and write have dropped by 30 percent," said Attapol, adding that this will impact the future of these students.

Source: KhaoSod English

Hardly surprising seeing as schools have been mostly closed in Thailand for the past year.