To Run a school under Containment

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Ugyen Tenzin , Thimphu

Yoezerling Higher Secondary School (YHSS) Paro, has been functioning under containment mode since January 21, 2022. With 124 students (58 girls and 66 boys), 12 teachers and 4 supporting staff, the school continues to move on, undeterred. The Journalist speaks to Chencho Tshering, principal of the school on challenges and other aspects of functioning under an unprecedented mode.

1. What are some of the major challenges you face (d)?
One major challenge, as of now, is ensuring that our Self Containment protocol is not breached. Of course, we have our De-Suups and our staff who are on patrol and putting in their best effort. From the management side, we keep on briefing our students on the importance of the Self- Containment mode, and the danger of such breach. We keep on reminding our students of the self-less and un-relenting service of His Majesty the King and the Government in containing the virus, and that our solemn duty is to support is Majesty the King in every way possible to eliminate the virus from our country. Another challenge is the risk of fire hazards due to electric short circuiting. The wiring of our school building may not be able to bear the load of multiple heaters being used in the school building. Yoezerling raised the matter to the DC19TF during our virtual meeting. Dasho Dzongdag immediately sent a team to inspect wirings in the schools, and accordingly some remedial measures were taken. However, this is still one bog worry for the school! So far, my colleagues have been very supportive and have been giving their cent percent. However, if the examinations dates are set too far, I’m worried that my friends may experience fatigue. They have been in the Containment mode since 21st January, and are into their third week. They have been away from their family - some left behind their breast-feeding child, some their aging and ailing mother, some their new born baby.
2. How did you manage to accommodate all the staff?
Are there enough room(s)? Did you need to convert any of the classrooms into bedrooms etc? Both from architecture as well as engineering point of view, Yoezerling was not planned for such accommodation, and in such wintry times. And, I m sure this is the case with all the schools! In order to accommodate our staff and also the De-Suups, the school had to convert the classrooms for their accommodation. We had enough classrooms as our class XI (now moving on to Class XII) is on vacation.
3. How forthcoming have the Dzongkhag and the Ministry been in supporting the school?
Dzongkhag has been very forthcoming in supporting the school. We had two rounds of virtual meetings - one within education fraternity of the Dzongkhag chaired by Chief District Education Officer, and another with DC19TF chaired by Dasho Dzongdag. These two meetings provided us with platforms to raise our concerns, seek clarification and support. We had one virtual meeting with Ministry of Education chaired by Hon’ble Sherig Lyonpo that touched on online learning, the teaching-learning progress and the conduct of Examination.
4. Did you have any incidents where you thought that the staff or students may have contacted the virus?
What SoPs are in place? We did have such incidents! We followed our School’s Self-Containment mode SoP and the guidance of Dzongkhag Health officials. I and a teacher happened to be in Wangdue during the period mentioned by the Ministry of Health (MoH). Though the time spent there was brief, we did not want to take any chances. So, as soon as MoH announced, we went for RT- PCR testing, and quarantined ourselves at home. Only after the third RT PCR test, we felt clean and then joined the school with the consent of health officials. We had some students who had come from Punakha and Wangduephodrang. We had 4 girls and 2 boys - all were segregated for 7 days, and were allowed into the class only after RT-PCR tests.
5. How is the energy level amongst your staff and students? 
Is there any distraction? So far the energy level is good. Staff meets every afternoon in what we call as the “Air-time” to discuss matters of the day. I have observed my staff to be buoyant. Of course, I do know that they have been away from their family and this is their third week in the containment mode. For a school like Yoezerling who believes education to be a great leveler, we look at education as a gate-way to a better and brighter future for our children. With this belief, we do not filter or screen students during admission. As long as they have their pass certificate and have determination to continue their education, we offer them the opportunity. Therefore, times like this is blessing for us for we are able to focus on our students more, and use the Containment mode period to better prepare the students for the examinations. I recently talked to my colleagues, one-on-one, and all expressed their commitment and their sense of duty in times such as this. Students have understood the gravity of the matter, and have been showing greater concern and more input into their preparations. They are also being briefed and made aware of His Majesty’s sacrifices, concerns and efforts, and Government’s plans and programs for their safety, studies and examinations. They have reciprocated positively! And, we are happy with their effort and perseverance.
6. Have you been distracted because of the inconsistency of the Ministry in setting the dates for the exams?
If your focus is only on finishing the examinations and be done with it, then YES - it does seem to distract us. But, at Yoezerling our perspective and focus is more on preparing our students, who mostly need our enhanced support and guidance. As such, it is not much of a distraction for sometime. However, if the dates are not set soon or set too far, it may distract!
5. Any other comments.
In life, we are destined to lose many things, but we cannot afford to lose the Present. What we do now individually will determine our collective future! Yoezerling is determined to walk through this together, and follow the leadership of His Majesty the King.