Schools in Oman are all set to reopen on September 12 as vaccination drive for students and teaching staff gathers pace and new coronavirus infections decline. The opening of schools will be based on strict adherence to COVID-19 protocol.

H E Dr Madiha bint Ahmed al Shaibaniyah, Minister of Education, said on Thursday that the ministry had given schools and educational directorates the necessary authority to find various alternatives for students to continue their education during the weeks when they are at home. She said that school buses will be operated at 50 per cent capacity.

“Teaching, supervisory and administrative bodies, information technology staff and parents, in cooperation with the health sector, have an active role in the successful operation of schools, the conduct of the academic year, and the management and implementation of general education diploma exams as intended,” she said.

Dr Yahya bin Khamis al Harthy, director general of curriculum development at the Ministry of Education, said, “The ministry has a large balance of electronic curricula, and many lessons and electronic content have been recorded and are available and can be used in the next academic year.”

According to the ministry plan, grades 1 to 6 student will follow a blended education system, a combination of in-person and online classes. Low-density schools, however, with no more than 20 students to a class, will follow the direct education system where students attend classes on all school days. The direct education system will be followed for grades 7 to 11. Schools with over 30 students to a class, however, will follow the blended education system while grade 12 students will be fully in person.