11 Aug, 2020
The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) instructed all schools to resume classroom lessons on Thursday.
Obec Deputy secretary-general Sanit Yamgesorn said he had signed an order for schools to resume on-site teaching but it would begin on a trial basis during the Covid-19 pandemic, with students required to record their whereabouts after school in line with the government’s track and trace measures.
Schools should also focus on outdoor activities in order to keep classroom use to the minimum, he said. Thursday's trial has been approved by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Obec instructed all education offices to inform schools under them to open fully but strictly in compliance with preventive measures imposed by the Public Health Ministry.
For example, schools are urged to avoid mass-gathering events such as meetings, recreational activities or games.
“Many schools have started to be complacent and ignore the Public Health Ministry’s measures," said Mr Sanit. "They are not being strict with students not wearing face masks in school.
“Obec will send a letter to instruct schools to strictly comply with health-screening measures. Although everything will be fully unlocked, it does not mean they will not have to abide by the measures."
The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has allowed 4,500 schools to open fully after Thailand reported no community transmissions for more than two months, despite having eased many lockdown measures.
Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan stressed on Tuesday 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 students' temperatures before they enter the premises.
Students who have a fever are encouraged to stop going to school until they fully recover, he suggested.
