School leaders and students on Monday expressed joy at being back in school for full face-to-face classes, but there are already concerns about the six-feet physical distancing required under COVID-19 protocols, as well as dissatisfaction with old and inadequate furniture.

“We have to move from the six feet and move closer to accommodate everybody because the classrooms are not big enough,” said Half-Way-Tree Primary School Principal Carol O’Connor-Clarke.

Noting that there is a 95 per cent turnout, she said, “Bwoy, I am so excited, it’s like September morning for me.”

Like the principal, head girl, 11-year-old Asha-Rae Morgan, is excited to again interact physically with her peers.

“It feels great to be back because we got used to everything virtual, so we now have to adjust back to normalcy because we missed out on a lot of things and certain grades missed out on certain activities. To just come back and feel free, feel together, and feel like a family again feels good,” she said.

Her peer, Deputy Head Boy Jaleel Gordon, added: “It feels great because all the students get to learn more. I’m looking forward to everyone striving to do their best.”

Maxfield Park Primary School Principal Tracey-Ann Holloway Richards was unable to contain her happiness, especially since her grades one and two students were attending classes in small groups.

“This morning I am extremely happy because I am seeing most of my grades one and two children. We started full force for grades four, five, and six, who have been here from as early as the second week of February. However, because the grades one and two students are the babies of the school, I still had them divided in group A and group B,” she explained.

The school, she added, will see the regular cohort of 503 students, which had dropped to approximately 380 students during phased reopening.

Allman Town Primary School Principal La-Toya Nesbitt, who reported that there were 500 students present on Monday, said, “So far, so good. Some persons have grouped their students and some maintained their single-file spacing. I must say that when I asked the students if they were happy to be back, one student said he was uncomfortable being around people. I guess because they were used to being in their groups, but they will adjust.”

At Alpha Primary School, Principal Yvette Samuels Brown told the Observer additional preparations are still being made for full face-to-face classes.

“I think it’s a very good thing as at present our students are at a disadvantage. The quality of the furniture is not the same, but the education ministry is doing its best with communication to fit us with resources as it relates to desks,” said Samuels Brown.

At Excelsior Primary School, Principal Oliver Holness explained that students will resume face-to-face classes today.

As it relates to space concerns, Holness said, “Because of the relaxation of the of physical distancing then space would not necessarily be an issue, but the quality of the desks is an issue for us. We have been in touch with the ministry, so it is the hope that during the course of this week we will get some furniture. The desks are not ideal right now.”

Cumberland High School Principal Diana Goslin Green said they are trying as best as possible to resume school while maintaining the COVID-19 protocols.

“We are guided by the Ministry of Education’s bulletin and also follow the guidelines coming from the Ministry of Health. But, even though some of the protocols are relaxed to a certain extent, COVID-19 is still not over. Because of this, we are still ensuring that some of the protocols, such as mask-wearing, are enforced,” she said.

Some of her students also shared their excitement about the resumption.

Fourteen-year-old Lawrence Lewis said he is learning a lot more now because online school was really hard for him.

His friend, Dhante Cummings, 15, shared the same opinion.

“The online class wasn’t teaching us everything and the Wi-Fi was slow, plus sometimes it was gone. So being back has been effective because I am learning a lot,” Cummings said.

Noting that COVID-19 has robbed Jamaica of two years of education, Cumberland High teacher Donovan Edwards said, “Upon returning, some of us have done a few tests and we’re already seeing an improvement. For online, it was hard to tell if the work given was actually done by students. The teachers also love the interaction because participation helps the students to understand more,” he said.

Meanwhile, Waterford High Principal Constance Curriah said the school has been working with a shift system, which has prepared them to resume face-to-face classes full-time.

“I have been bringing in my groups in such a way that it’s not really their first day because we’ve been rotating them. So today almost feels like pre-COVID because the students are settled,” Curriah said, noting that she has purchased more furniture to accommodate the number of students who will be on campus.

Last month, Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced that students would return to full face-to-face classes following the mid-term break as Jamaica’s education system has been “terribly affected” by the pandemic.