Muscat: The new academic year with a mix of classroom and online learning will begin for the students of government and private schools in Oman on Sunday amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) is taking all steps to guarantee the safety of students, teachers, and other staff.
It is expected that around 676,943 students including 334, 889 girls will take part in the blended education under the guidance of 56,613 teachers even as the nation continues to battle the COVID-19 that delayed the start of the academic year by nearly two months.
The Supreme Committee had announced that the school year will begin on November 1 and also endorsed the blended learning.
According to Abdullah al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Education, “The ministry continues to work with telecommunications companies to provide Internet packages for schools. He said that school hours for students in Grades 1-4 will be between 11 am and 2 pm, Grades 5-11 between 8 am and 11 am, and for Grade-12, between 8 am and 2 pm.
Oman TV will telecast lessons for Grade 12 daily on weekdays between 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm. Schedules for school classes on TV are available at the ministry website.
It is estimated that around 82 per cent of schools will implement an e-learning system, while 10 per cent will follow blended education, and the rest will have full attendance in schools.
If the parents prefer to educate their children (Grades 1 to 12) completely through the distance education system due to safety concerns, they have to submit a written application to the school.
A number of working mothers have applied for leave starting to ensure the smooth transition of students to distance education.
"This is the first-time experience for me as a parent though I have been working from home for the last six months. Just hope it works fine and that it guarantees the right of education of our children," said Laila al Balushi, a parent of four.
"It is going to be an extraordinary year. Parents will be real and key partners, this time, in teaching. I am a mother of two and they are both in the first cycle. We got our laptops ready but still tensed about how it is going to be. The classes will be simultaneously from 11 to 2. So I have to keep an eye on the process of learning from A to Z. Praying to make the most of it after all these efforts," Zainab, another working mother said.
MoE has coordinated with the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD) to provide laptops and Internet packages for needy students. The offers start from RO90 to RO500 and can be paid in 12 monthly installments.
As per the blended education adopted for the academic year 2020/202, the attendance of students will be rotated weekly.
As for the days when students are not attending the classes, they must take the e-learning according to schedules, which are prepared by the school administration.
The exams will be conducted at the end of the school year. “We have reduced the percentage weights of exams scores and increased the percentage in the continuous evaluation, which includes three standardised short tests for all groups,” the ministry said.
The health protocol includes clear precautionary measures provided by the MoE such as checking the temperature, sterilizers, face masks, and a one and a half physical-distancing in classes.
Cleaning staff will be not allowed in schools in the presence of students, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Education has issued guidelines for private schools, including kindergartens.
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