Back to school in Phuket as governor’s order allows return to onsite learning

One of these provinces is doing its own thing… Despite central government recommending schools move to home learning until January 31, schools in Phuket have been told they can re-open. The Ministry of Education had advised Thailand’s schools to suspend in-classroom learning due to the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant, but Phuket governor Narong Woonciew has issued an order allowing schools on the southern island to re-open.

A copy of the order was posted on the Facebook page of the Phuket Information Centre yesterday, stating that schools on the island can resume onsite learning for students of all ages. According to the Facebook post, the governor issued the order with the approval of the Phuket Communicable Disease Committee. It goes on to list the steps schools must take in order to re-open, including adhering to the disease prevention measures of Thai Stop Covid Plus. These include the regular use of antigen test kits for students over the age of 12, as well as teachers and school staff. Random testing should be done every 7 days, according to the order.

Sumanee Wacharasin, an official with the Public Health Ministry recently stated that there was no need to close schools where Covid-19 infections are found, as effective measures are already in place. It’s understood at least 95% of students over the age of 12 have now received their first Covid-19 vaccine, while 70% are fully inoculated.

“Closure would affect the education of students whose studies have already been seriously disrupted over the past 2 years.”

While there has been a definite surge in Covid-19 infections across Phuket recently, 95% of cases have been mild or even asymptomatic, according to Vachira Hospital.

The latest order from the Phuket governor is in effect from January 15 to 31.

SOURCE: Phuket Information Center