KUWAIT: In a bid to find solutions to resume schooling at the Higher Institute for Theatrical Arts after the current suspension imposed due to the spread of COVID-19, the head of the institute's teaching staff syndicate Dr Khalifa Al-Hajri said that in view of WHO reports which indicate that the disease has infected millions and caused hundreds of thousands of fatalities worldwide, and in compliance to the cabinet precautionary decisions and measures, the syndicate fully supports those precautions including social distancing.

"As part of the civil community institutions, we decided forming a special voluntary committee including members from the syndicate, the institute students, artists and citizens to help face the impacts of this pandemic," he underlined.

Hajri added that in view of the global uncertainty about the end of this pandemic, which is expected to last for further months, the syndicate suggests opting to online-learning, which is already applied in some public and private local and international educational facilities despite its inadequacy for some majors and the fact that it had not been used earlier in Kuwait and the possibility that the outcome might not be up to standards. On that note, he said that they have decided to temporarily opt to online learning to resume the least form of learning according to the following conditions:

First: Ensure that teaching and administrative staff nor students will be not be subject to any direct or indirect health dangers.

Second: Ensure that specialized medical staffs will supervise sterilizing and providing healthcare in places such as studios, workshops and training auditoriums.

Third: Issue official decisions and regulations to organize the process and define the duties and rights of teaching staff members.

Fourth: Have the institute departments set curriculums suitable for this stage, define the mechanism of education, testing, assessment and marking and have them approved by the institute board and specialized educationalists.

Fifth: Providing safe programs and applications for online learning and subjecting teaching staff members to intensified training course on using those programs and applications.

Sixth: Ensuring the safety of those application and protecting them against hacking.

Seventh: Providing enough administrative and technical staff specialized in following up online learning while fully observing the social distancing conditions.

Eighth: Providing teaching staff members and students with free memberships in Arabic and foreign electronic libraries to give them access to references and resources.

"We at the teaching staff syndicate are fully aware of the importance of resuming schooling because long suspension will be harmful to acquiring knowledge and the quality and outcome of education. We are ready to adapt with the solutions suggested by the state because we are all in the same boat. Nonetheless, we prioritize public health and will never take risks that would jeopardize people's health or overburden medical staffs and security forces," he concluded.