(Għall-verżjoni bil-Malti ara aktar l-isfel)

Note to Parents/Legal Custodians

As has been announced by the Government and the Health Authorities, learners and educators who during the past 14 days have travelled to the indicated countries affected by COVID-19, including Italy (all regions, including Sicily), they need to with immediate effect, self-quarantine at home for 14 days from the day of their return to Malta.

Parents/Legal Custodians are reminded that in case that their children show symptoms of fever, cough or sore throat, they should not send their children to school.

Parents/Legal Custodians should consult their family doctor, follow prevention routines issued by the Health Authorities and cooperate with schools.

In general, it is important to keep to these routines:

• Wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, and if not available, use alcohol-based hand disinfectant;
• Cover mouth when coughing with a tissue or sleeves;
• Cover nose when sneezing with a tissue or sleeves;
• Dispose of used tissues immediately;
• Avoid touching the eyes, nose and mouth before washing one’s hands;
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.

Parents/Legal Custodians are requested to follow these instructions and national directions that will be issued by the Health Authorities.

In the meantime, the Ministry for Education and Employment will continue to keep schools and educational institutions adjourned with directions given from time to time by the Ministry for Health.

Therefore, your cooperation is highly solicited.

Ms Maria Mc Namara
Director General
Educational Services

All pupils this week participated in ‘Jiena bħalek’, a Culture Pass project which entails a combination of stories promoting inclusion and diversity. The project, celebrating different abilities, age, nationalities and religious backgrounds, complements the PSCD lessons at school. It involves an actor playing the role of various characters presented through video clips highlighting the general view of the citizens and their reaction towards people with particular differences. The younger pupils enjoyed an interactive puppet show during which they were invited to sing and dance along tunes with lyrics written by author Trevor Zahra. The animals projected the value of friendship through their diverse realities.

Special thanks to our PSCD teachers, Ms Charmaine Cassar and Ms Leonora Azzopardi for organising this!

While there is no need to panic, we kindly ask all stakeholders to read the information below, and to use common sense!

Transmission can be avoided with proper hygiene and care. In any case, children who are sick, or showing symptoms of being sick, should be kept at home.

In relation to the current Corona Virus scare, the Ministry for Education and Employment (MEDE) in collaboration with and following instructions from the Ministry for Health (MfH) has announced that anyone (staff or learners) who has visited these countries during the past days:

• China
• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• South Korea
• Iran
• Italy (Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto, ie. all the north of Italy above Tuscany),

must stay at home for 14 days and if they develop symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath, they need to phone the Disease Prevention and Control Unit (IDCU) within the Superintendence of Public Health, Ministry for Health on Tel. no 21324086 and the unit will guide them accordingly.

It is also being advised that individuals who need help or clarification should phone their family doctor (GP). In addition, it is being instructed that the general public should not to go to Health centres or Casualty or visit their private GP but they should call their GP if they notice any symptoms mentioned above.

It is also recommended that travellers should avoid non-essential travel to the above countries which are countries with presumed ongoing transmission of COVID-19 based on scientific evidence available provided by ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control).

In the meantime, the Ministry for Education and Employment will continue to keep schools and educational institutions adjourned with directions given from time to time by the MfH.

Your cooperation is highly solicited.