A distance learning drill is to be carried out next week for all secondary-school students in Taipei, in preparation for possible lockdowns if domestic COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said on Friday.
During the drill period from April 25 to April 29, students at Taipei’s junior and senior high schools, along with all vocational schools, are to be taught remotely while students remain at home, Ko said at a media briefing to discuss the city’s COVID-19 response measures.
The goal is to get students used to remote learning, in the event of a citywide lockdown due to the rapid increase in the number of domestic COVID-19 cases, he said.
Photo: CNA
Parents and schools have largely supported the plan, Ko said, adding that most schools in Taipei are equipped with fiber-optic Internet and the city’s digital learning application CooC-Cloud.
Exceptions can be made to allow in-person classes for Grade 9 students who have upcoming examinations, Taipei Deputy Mayor Tsai Ping-kun (蔡炳坤) said at the briefing.
He said elementary schools are not being included in the drill to avoid situations where young children might be left alone at home.
As the number of domestic COVID-19 cases continues to rise in Taiwan, in-person classes have been suspended at 163 schools and four institutions in Taipei, which have total of 61,254 students and staff.
Given the fast increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Taipei, Ko said that in-person classes might soon be suspended indefinitely.
After the five-day remote learning drill, the measure could be extended for another week, he said.
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