Schools to re-open for the next academic year... In November 2020

That decision, if confirmed, probably involves quite a few other decisions at our school level.

To all appearances, we are doing OK with online teaching.

We are doing much better than most schools, especially the public schools. The program implemented by the ministry is pretty good but again, how many students really follow it?

Our reality is unfortunately not that positive as it could be, with quite a few students who cannot connect to the internet, and with the poor and often ill-adapted content our teachers often provide.

The Ministry already said a few weeks ago that if we organize our own exam, they will sign the Grade 12 diplomas according to our decision.

Option 1: That is therefore our first option. 

Positive aspect: Doing as if everything were OK. We have only one Grade 12 in agriculture this year. Furthermore, our students missed only one semester among the 6 semester from grade 10 to grade 12. It is not too bad.

Negative aspect: The level of our students is low, missing one full semester will not make them any better.

Option 2: Our second option would be to have all our classes retake the year. 

Positive aspect: It could be great for the tourism section. We could teach the 2^nd semester of this year during the 1^st semester of next year. The “free” semester could be used to do an internship on an extended period of time; It could also provide the opportunity for our students to test several aspects of the work in hotels and restaurants. As we are quite weak as far as practice is concerned, such an opportunity could be great.

Negative aspect: If this kind of pandemic takes place again next year… we’ll be stuck!

Option 1 or option 2: Whatever option we take we’ll have to anticipate the next international crisis of that style.

                Teachers: Teach the teachers to enter the 21^st Century in particular by getting them aware of the neuroscience which involves changes in the way teachers approach teaching.

                Students: being “student centered” and guiding them to much more autonomy in their learning experience.

                Equipment and internet connections: seriously analyzing these technical issues. Can we just imagine how difficult it is to follow lessons 8 hours a day on the small screen of a phone with a weak internet connection?

               

https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50723714/pm-agrees-to-extend-school-closures/

https://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/school-reopening-be-postponed-until-november