Educators hope to reintroduce a sense routine in children’s lives during this year’s summer school programme SkolaSajf, as part of efforts to get them back on track after the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Some 7,000 students will participate in the programme, which kicked off Wednesday, while around 1,500 educators are involved in coordination. 

Apart from keeping the children busy during the summer months, this year, the educators have a different challenge ahead as they hope to get the students back into a routine after having been home for months because of the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Schools were closed in March, days after the first coronavirus cases were registered, and though children were homeschooled, they did not return to class, ending the scholastic year at home. 

In comments to Times of Malta, Foundation of Education Services chairperson Pamela Schembri said this year, there will be special focus on getting the students back on track and reintroduce them to normal practices.

In recent months, she said, as students have been home because of the outbreak, simple day-to-day tasks – like getting out of their pyjamas – were not a priority. 

“Routine is very important for young children. Being home without a day-to-day routine caused chaos for some of these children, who were anxious as well. 

“Skola Sajf this year has opened two weeks before to bring back routine to our children’s lives,” Schembri said. 

Photos: Mark Zammit Cordina

The programme will also focus on the importance of safeguarding the environment, she said. 

A series of guidelines have been issued to parents as part of efforts to stop any potential infections from spreading in schools. These guidelines are also expected to be in force when schools reopen in September.