RIYADH — The Ministry of Education has adopted three operational models such as low, medium, and high for the resumption of classes in the elementary and kindergarten levels of government, private, international and foreign schools. This will come into effect from Sunday, Jan. 23. Around 97 percent of the total elementary and kindergarten levels of schools fall within the purview of the low and medium categories. The operational models are framed with the objective of applying the health precautions and controls against coronavirus with taking advantage of the facilities and spaces available in elementary schools and kindergartens in the regions and governorates all over the Kingdom. As per the adopted low-level model, schools have to achieve total social distancing among students in classrooms and laboratories. As for the medium model, schools would have to achieve social distancing with dividing students of classes into two groups while in the high-level model, schools have to achieve social distancing in halls and laboratories by dividing students of classes into three groups. The models also include preparation of students to make them fit psychologically and socially to resume in-person classes, as well as to comply with the approved health precautions and controls. It also includes follow-up on the health status of school employees, equipping classrooms and schools with simultaneous broadcasting techniques in addition to excluding classroom and non-classroom activities that fail to achieve physical distancing. Teachers will also be trained to manage simultaneous classes and complete lessons of all academic subjects on "Ain Channels", and provision of enrichment materials through "Ain Gate" portal.
