Education ministry to push for full school opening

The Ministry of Education will this week ask the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) to allow 4,500 schools nationwide to open fully.

Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan said on Monday he will this week propose the full onsite school reopening to the CCSA for consideration since Thailand has reported no community transmissions for a long period of time with many lockdown measures eased.

The minister said parents thought that the current partial re-opening, particularly the alternate-day arrangement for attendance, might result in interrupted study for their children.

If the CCSA approves the full-scale school reopening, the minister stressed that all schools must comply with measures imposed by the Public Health Ministry such as compulsory face coverings, hand washing using alcohol-based hand sanitisers, and checking the body temperature of students before they enter the premises.

Students who have a fever are encouraged to stop going to school until they fully recover, he suggested.

CCSA spokesperson Taweesilp Visanuyothin said a CCSA committee had discussed the alternate-day arrangement at more than 4,500 schools to reduce classroom density. These schools include those under the Education Ministry and the National Office of Buddhism.

A special CCSA committee on the easing of Covid-19 measures has the power to green-light the full-scale school re-opening and it is expected to discuss the matter next week after receiving relevant information from the Education Ministry this week.

The CCSA will push for schools to return to normal but will also consider classroom measures to ensure the protection of students, the spokesperson said.